


Meanwhile Back in Boston

by fuzzeellama (JLPeterson)



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV), Rizzoli & Isles
Genre: F/F, SwanQueen Fanfiction Facebook Group
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-10
Updated: 2020-01-28
Packaged: 2020-06-25 14:46:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 23
Words: 59,533
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19747870
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JLPeterson/pseuds/fuzzeellama
Summary: Disappearances of boys in Massachusetts and Maine have Boston's top Detective Jane Rizzoli stumped and Storybrooke's Sheriff Emma Swan suspicious.  An inexplicable observation has Massachusetts' Chief Medical Examiner Doctor Maura Isles doubting herself.  Storybrooke's Madame Mayor, Regina Mills, doesn't want to get involved but ends up traveling to Boston in an attempt to disprove Emma's theory that these kidnappings have anything to do with magic.  Rizzoli and Isles are in for the ride of their lives and everyone discovers something new.





	1. Monday, Boston

**Author's Note:**

> "Rizzoli & Isles" follows canon up through the end of Season 5. "Once Upon A Time" is canon until Season 4 Episode 12 just before viewers get the "Six Weeks Later" screen. Action in this story begins about three weeks into that gap.
> 
> Pirate Captain Killian Jones "Hook" is in a relationship with Emma at the beginning however this is Swanqueen. He does have a role (of sorts) in several chapters.
> 
> This story is dedicated to dear sweetly evil & funny Sherry. I miss your laugh always. She would have wanted to finish beta-reading it and have me publish it. Sherry passed away last year from complications due to cancer.

It’s morning break and while sipping on a cup of Pu-erh tea Maura glances up to see Angela heading over to her table.

"Care to join me Angela?" she asks as Angela's already pulled out a chair. Soon as she's seated, Angela looks intently at Maura and asks, "Have you got a couple minutes Maura?"

"Sure.” Shortly followed by, “Did you know that there was a study done on the effects of four types of tea on group of male rats and they discovered that Pu-erh tea lowers both triglycerides and LDL-C while increasing the level of HDL-C?"

"Yeah well, I'll be sure to remember that Maura," Angela replies having already forgotten it. She purses her lips, hesitates a moment and then begins, "Do you know if Jane is...you know? Uh, seeing someone now? I'm only asking because I'm concerned. I mean, ever since the…" Jane's mom looks up to her right and grimaces a bit. "Since the ah... shooting"

"Her miscarriage you mean?" Dr. Isles infers and Angela gives her head a small nod.

"Yeah, since then... That was quite awhile back now and I wonder if she's found someone that she's gotten close to." Angela rests her arms on the table and grasps her hands together. "Since you're her best friend I thought you might know something I don't."

Maura gives Angela a sweet smile and then replies, "You know Jane loves you Angela and I am sure you would know if she was romantically involved with anyone. However, and to be perfectly honest with you, I don't know when Jane is going to have an intimate relationship with someone again."

"Well I know the loss- Oh I don't seem to be saying what I want to," Angela sighs, "I just keep hoping she'll finally find the right guy and settle down. Have a family before it's too late for her."

Maura looks right into her eyes and responds, "Oh Angela, I can't imagine Jane ever settling down. She and I are alike in some ways. We absolutely love our jobs. What we do - while it can be very tiring and frustrating at times - it makes us feel we've accomplished something very important. Catching a murderer or saving a life is exhilarating. We both know that when it comes to a choice between work and a long-term relationship, work is going to win."

Angela lets out a deeper sigh, "I hope you're wrong Maura. I know you two are dedicated to your jobs. But I'm going to hope that both you and Jane can become dedicated to another person too!"

Sensing the conversation is over, they happen to stand up at the same time. 

"Well I need to get back to my office," Dr. Isles says.

"And I need to get back to my customers," Mrs. Rizzoli responds.

Minutes after Maura's back in her office, Jane appears in her doorway. Maura looks up as her phone rings. "Okay, I'll be there shortly," she says to the phone. "That's probably why I'm here," the detective adds, "dead guy and missing boy?"

"I'll drive," Jane states as Maura picks up her bag and heads to the door.

Once at the scene they go immediately to the officer first responding to be briefed in more detail. As he leads them under the yellow tape, through the doorway, and up two flights of stairs, he's speaking.

"We got the 911 about an hour ago from the lady - Mrs. Talmadge - who lives in the apartment opposite.She said that she noticed his car was still parked out front just after 9. Said the deceased, Nick Bonadetti, usually drives his son to school in the mornings on his way to work. She knocked on the door and when she didn't get a response she called the super. They walked in together and saw Mr. Bonadetti face down on the carpet in his son's room. He was 41 years old and had custody of his son, Nicky Jr., who just turned 10. The son is missing. A couple uniforms are canvassing the neighborhood. No sign of forced entry. No assault weapon found. Only thing is the bedroom window's wide open - but there's no window ledges or fire-escape. Nobody saw anything - or if they did - they aren't talking."

Dr. Isles immediately moves over to the body. It appears that he fell straight forward from a standing position with nothing to break his fall.

"Natural causes?" the detective asks as the doctor after a minute.

Maura looks up, “Jane, be realistic, we just got here!”

Rizzoli makes a face at Maura and then silently watches as the Medical Examiner does her job.

Eventually Dr. Isles states "Judging by body temperature and small signs of rigor in his face and neck, I would estimate this man has been dead for about twelve to fourteen hours. He is wearing a watch that is still running. No rings on his hand although the discoloration of the ring finger of his left hand would indicate he was married not too long ago."

"Probable cause of death?" The detective asks as she walks around the room looking at everything - floor, furniture, photos, possessions, walls, ceiling. Her first instinct is to grin when she sees the Red Sox baseball cap but it turns into a grimace and then a frown. The boy has lots of video games for Xbox and Nintendo DS. There are several super-hero comic books. It looks like a typical adolescent boy's room. Actually, it is neater than most. The bed covers are tossed aside so he was probably in bed and maybe asleep.

"I cannot see any evidence of malfeasance," Maura states while still looking over the body, "but I don't guess." A few minutes later she adds, "He's wearing a well-made business suit, white cotton heavily starched shirt, unbuttoned at the top and he's not wearing a belt or tie. He still has his socks and shoes on and laced up. What I can tell you is that there are no visible flesh wounds, bruising of exposed areas or signs of blunt force trauma. However, I'll need to examine the body more thoroughly."

Jane sighs heavily, walks over to the open window, looks around the window frame and then out. Clearly no-one could get in or out of the apartment through the window without a fire-truck's ladder. "Nice view," Detective Rizzoli says to no-one in particular, checking out the street below and the small but inviting park across from her. The typical cluster of lookyloos are around the apartment complex and police cars.

Feeling that she has a good mental picture and inventory of the bedroom, she strides past Dr. Isles who is now standing upright and on her cell phone arranging for the relocation of the corpse. 

"I'm going to look at the other rooms and then question Mrs. Talmadge," Detective Rizzoli announces. The Crime Scene Unit is there now and trying to find places to mark for possible evidence and photos. They aren't having much luck. Nothing is broken or looks out of place except for the open window. And the dead guy.

All the other rooms look completely normal. They suggest that Mr. Bonadetti and his son had home-cooked pizza for dinner and then, later that night, Junior went to bed. 

Jane walks out the door into the common hallway and stops right behind brother detective Frankie who is smiling while talking with an attractive young woman that is probably in her late twenties. 

"Hi Detective Rizzoli," Jane says. Frankie turns around and grins at Jane, "Hello Detective Rizzoli!" The woman is surprised and Frankie quickly tells her, “This is my older sister Mrs. Talmadge, we both work Homicide." She smiles and says, "It must get pretty confusing!"

Jane gets a better look at Mrs. Talmadge and greets her, "Hi Mrs. Talmadge. You already know who I am. Do you have the address for the boy’s mother?"

“I got it,” Frankie says while handing Jane a slip of paper, “It’s not far.”

As Jane takes it from him she says, “I’ll call Korsak and have him meet me there.”

Once outside the building again Jane looks up to the window. _It was kind of chilly last night, what is with the open window? Maybe the perp repelled down from it?_

Jane calls and arranges the meet. She gets in her squad car and drives away as the coroner's van pulls up.

The detective thinks about different scenarios as she drives. _Junior saw dad has a heart attack and runs to his mother’s. Nah, the boy should have known to call 911 right away. Even if he didn’t he should have knocked his neighbor’s door. Even if he didn’t do that and made it to his mom’s then she would have called. The boy was kidnapped – maybe by his own mom. Dad didn’t fight to stop them, no one heard any yelling and nothing is broken from a recent struggle. Maybe the son opened the window as a signal to his mom. Maybe the dad had a heart attack after the son and mom left. Maybe they don't know he's dead. Perhaps he just ran away from home..._

Jane parks across the street and is thinking the dad was probably a Type A personality - he didn't even kick his shoes off.

Sergeant Vincent Korsak pulls up behind Rizzoli’s car and they get out and meet in the middle. 

“You take lead Jane, start with we’re investigating Mr. Bonadetti – ask her when she last spoke to her ex. I'll take a look around while you're talking."

Claire Bonadetti is pretty quick to ask what happened to Nick and when Jane tells her that he’s dead from a possible heart attack, Claire’s voice shoots up an octave and several decibels.

“Oh my god! Nick’s dead! Please tell me you’ve got Nicky in your car right now waiting!” 

Before either of them can stop her Claire has run out the front door looking at the cars calling “Nicky!” When she sees he’s not out there she turns around to face the detectives, “Please tell me you have him at the station!”

Korsak reaches out to touch Claire’s elbow to coax her, “Please come back inside Mrs. Bonadetti”.

The FBI arrive at Claire’s home about 15 minutes later. Jane lets them inside.

“We’ll take it from here,” Agent Schiff tells her as he and two other agents come inside and head to where Mrs. Bonadetti is seated on the sofa, crying into a handkerchief Korsak had offered. _Leave it to Vince to have a handkerchief - like do they even sell those anymore?_

Korsak and Jane stand and listen for a bit before leaving Claire with the feds.

“One of the agents will stop by our office this afternoon,” Vince says as he and Jane walk back to their cars,” Maybe the doc will have something on the dad by then.”

“Yeah, see you there Vince,” Jane responds while closing her door.


	2. Monday, Storybrooke

“I have never been so scared of anyone since….” Regina turns her eyes from Emma’s and stares blankly ahead. “That fucking phone is going to make me do something I’ll regret”.

“Not now David,” Emma replies as she gets up from the diner stool and wanders down toward the hallway. When she returns, Regina is gone and there’s a little chill in the air where she sat. She sighs heavily and walks back to the Sheriff’s office.

Regina slams Henry’s storybook shut, rattling the objects on her office desk, and puts her head in her hands. Her eyes are shut tightly and she nods her head from side to side, tears trying to escape. “Why?” She opens her eyes and looks up the ceiling, the tears falling freely down her cheeks. “Why do you give me hope and take it away?” Her face hardens into a sneer, fangs bared, eyes dark. “You, sick, sadistic…” She hears the now familiar sound of Emma clearing her throat just inside her office door and softens her face only slightly, reaches for a tissue and quietly says, “Sheriff Swan. Back with more kale salad and root beer?”

Emma steps up to the desk, “Are you okay?” She resists the urge to come around the desk and put her hands reassuringly on Regina’s shoulders. “No. I’m not... but it’s none of your concern.” Regina lifts her chin to look at Emma directly. “What do you want?”

Resting her fingertips atop of edge of the mayor’s desk, Emma leans forward slightly, “We need to talk.”

Regina lets out a huff, “We ARE talking. In case you hadn’t noticed.” Emma lets out a sigh of frustration, “Not like this. We need to talk, just you and I, off work hours and somewhere private.” Regina is overflowing with unkind remarks but puts a lid on them, narrowing her response down to a terse, “Fine. Tonight. My home. 9pm.” She reaches over to a folder on her desk, opens it and starts to read the top sheet. Emma waits for more. Seconds pass. Finally, Regina lifts her eyes back to Emma’s, “Was there more?” Emma steps back from the desk, “It can wait.” “Good day Sheriff.” Regina states evenly as her eyes return to the document.

Emma arrives on Regina’s doorstep five minutes early. She would have come earlier but didn’t want to piss the mayor off even more than she appeared to be that afternoon. She gives the door two solid knocks. Within seconds it opens. While Emma’s still in the tight blue jeans and beige sweater she had on earlier, Regina has changed into black sweatpants and a deep blue V-neck t-shirt. She greets her with a simple “Come in” as she opens the door wider and steps to the side so Emma can pass by her. She also can’t stop herself from casting a glance at Emma’s butt when the blonde steps into the foyer. As Regina closes the door she asks “Would you like something to drink?”

They sit opposite each other in Regina’s study. She gently swirls the whiskey in her glass as she waits for Emma to speak. Emma feels like she doesn’t fit in the room. It’s so incredibly neat and tidy. She’s uncomfortable but knows it’s up to her to break their silence. “I am really sorry that we haven’t had any luck finding the Author.” Regina responds with an eye roll and “You didn’t come here to tell me that. Get on with it Ms. Swan.” Emma cringes but knows it’s Regina’s go to name when she’s irritated at her. Emma sets her glass on a coaster on the coffee table. “We’ve had a number of…, “she re-thinks her phrasing, “We’ve started several conversations that we haven’t been able to finish – for one reason or another. For once I’d just like to finish even ONE discussion we’ve started.” Regina looks down at her glass, nods, and smiles ruefully “Yes, that’s true. I think we’re destined to have unfinished business.” She sets her own glass down on a coaster and looks up to Emma. “So where do you want to start?”

“Earlier today, when we sitting at Granny’s you started to say ‘I’ve never been so scared of anyone since-’ and you didn’t get to finish the sentence.” Regina scoffs at Emma, “Naturally, that’s what you’d remember.” Emma continues, “Who is it that you’re scared of? You don’t strike me as the kind of person that would be intimidated by anyone.” She’s leaning toward Regina, her elbows on her knees and her hands clasped together. She has the smallest of smiles on her face. Regina looks up to the ceiling, hunches her shoulders and lets both her eyes and shoulders drop as she huffs out “You.”

“ME?” Emma exclaims disbelieving, her eyebrows so high they disappear and her eyes so wide they practically bulge out. “Wipe that ridiculous expression off your face Ms. Swan.” Regina orders with such authority that Emma immediately complies. “Me?” she asks once again, this time demurely. Regina straightens her shoulders, “Is that so hard to believe? I thought I had my happy ending – not once, but three times!” She stands and begins to pace back and forth as she continues.“My Mother destroyed my first chance when she crushed Daniel’s heart all the while assuring me that she was only protecting my happiness.”

Regina pauses long enough to take another sip of her drink. “Then I adopted Henry. He was my only happiness for over ten years. I love him more than I can express, Emma. He was my entire reason for being.” At this point she turns and looks unflinching into the blonde’s eyes. “My Mother may have ripped out Daniel’s heart but you threatened to rip out mine!” Emma sits up straighter and her eyes threaten to tear up. Regina is still locked on to Emma’s face, “Without him I would have died. I would have just given up. Have you ever loved someone so much that you truly felt you could no longer exist without him? No, of course you haven’t!” Recalling Emma’s arrival in Storybrooke and the first year the two of them fought over Henry brings remnants of Regina’s fury back now. She glances to a photo of herself and Henry on the fireplace mantle and begins to prepare herself for what she’s going to say next.

She sits, picks up her glass tumbler, takes a couple of sips this time and sets it carefully back down. “And, the third time…” she sighs heavily and looks down because she absolutely cannot look at Emma when she says this, “by some miracle Robin comes into my life. My soul-mate. He and I were both hesitant and uncertain at first but there was no denying it. I let the walls around my heart continue to crumble. We truly, deeply love each other.” Regina becomes wistful and quiet but it doesn’t last. “Then YOU,” she lifts her head to level a fierce gaze at Emma, “then you, Miss Do-Right, returns from the Enchanted Forest with one particular person.” Emma feels Regina’s angry presence bearing down her, coiling around her, “It could have been anyone, but no, this person is an especially painful present just for me. You come back with Robin’s dead wife! The moment I saw you I wanted to kill you both!”

She swallows, closes her eyes, and exhales heavily. She takes a moment to breathe deeply and evenly. When Regina re-opens her eyes, they are sad and she looks smaller. “You weren’t the one who said ‘I shall destroy your happiness ' but you may as well have said it. You have destroyed my happiness twice. If not for Henry…” she trails off. Emma sits in stunned silence, she feels guilty but can’t explain why or what it is she really feels right now. Whatever she thought she might say has disappeared. To say she’s sorry would probably anger the woman even more. She wants to defend her action but can’t figure out how to make Regina understand in her present state of mind. So, she sits. Speechless.

Regina rises, her glass in one hand and the other stretched out to take Emma’s glass. “That’s all the private conversation I can handle tonight.” Emma stands and hands over her unfinished whiskey. “I can see myself out.” Regina is still standing in the study with the glasses in her hands when she hears her front door quietly closing.

Emma stands with her back to the door, closes her eyes and drops her head back. She takes a couple full breaths before bringing her head forward and opening her eyes. Stepping off the portico she looks up at the dark sky and the thumbnail moon. _A new moon is coming._ Her shoulders slump. She slowly walks down the brick path, through the gate and to her car. 

Once inside she begins to wonder what to do. When she decided to save Marian’s life was she even thinking about what it would do to Regina and Robin? A resounding ‘No’ echoes in her head. She only thought of saving Marian from certain execution. That’s all. It’s who she is. She can’t let someone be hurt if she can prevent it. Regina knows that. But when it comes to emotional harm? She couldn’t really relate to that until she came to Storybrooke with Henry. After avoiding thoughts of her infant child for over ten years, in a matter of a couple days, she was suddenly concerned about his emotional well-being? She scoffs at her arrogance. _But I wanted to make sure Regina wasn’t going to physically harm him either_ , she tells herself.

Emma is feeling emotionally disabled. Growing up she was repeatedly rejected, by other orphanage kids and by foster parents and siblings alike. Thinking about all the children and adults that shunned her brings back some anger. She eventually rejected them too. She became distrustful and bitter. Her eyes acquired a steely quality and her jaw a toughness – a scowl perfected. She decided to never put herself in a situation where she could be hurt. Okay, there were a couple exceptions to that but Lily and Neal only strengthened her resolve to be emotionally as tough as nails. 

She takes a full breath and exhales slowly. She goes to put her key in the ignition and stops. She doesn’t want to see Killian right now and he’s likely to be at her place, probably in a foul mood to boot. He’s been working with Belle trying to figure out how to get the fairies back out of the Sorcerer’s hat. No luck with that for days. Lately he’s taking up pounding his fist on things, cussing and drinking more rum than usual. Nah, she’s not up for running home to that. 

Somewhere a feeling of resentment makes itself known. Regina’s been in love with two men and had practically smothered Henry with love for years. Who does she have to love? Yeah well, she loves Henry too and then there’s Killian… but… is she “in love” with him? _Is that a different feeling than loving him?_ Emma starts to list a few reasons why she loves him. It occurs to her that maybe if she were just “in love” with him she wouldn’t be checking reasons on her fingers. She chuckles to herself thinking Hook can only count to five that way. _Why didn’t he go ahead and get his hand back from Gold when he had the chance?_ She hates his hook. It comes in handy sometimes, but, um, mostly NO. She decides her love for Killian is definitely lacking something. Or even more than one thing. As soon as she starts up the bug’s motor she turns on the radio as a distraction and pulls away from the curb.

Regina quickly finishes off both hers and Emma’s drinks and takes the glasses into the kitchen. She washes the tumblers and picks one up to dry, wandering over to the entry and peeking outside through a window. Her eyebrows lift in surprise to see Emma sitting her in VW, in the dark with the engine off. Not giving it too much thought she returns to the kitchen, sets the one dry glass down and proceeds to dry the other one. Well, she didn’t want to think about Emma in her car but she is despite herself. Her heart really hurts. It seems strange to her that even though no-one has physically removed it, it feels like it is being crushed.

Straightening the dishtowel and herself, she walks quietly up the stairs and into her room. Normally she’d change into her pajamas or a nightgown before getting into bed but tonight she’s not feeling up to it. She just sheds her sweatpants and slides under the covers. Staring at her bedroom ceiling wide-eyed and with her mind chattering to her, she realizes that sleep won’t come easy to her tonight. Yes, she is very hurt and angry. Not only did she fail to get her revenge on Snow, the woman is actually living her happy ending with that idiot husband of hers. Meanwhile her chance at a happy ending has been snatched away – again – by that idiot’s daughter. 

The tightness in her jaw makes her realize she’s clenching her teeth. “Oh, for fuck’s sake”, she sighs. _Emma. Em-ma. Why? Why am I wasting my time thinking about you?_ But she is and continues to think about her for quite a while. _Did I really ruin her childhood? No, Snow’s to blame for that._ Or so she tries to convince herself. But how did that lonely and resentful child become the 30-something woman she knows now? For the life of her, she cannot bring herself to _hate_ Emma. She can’t even make herself dislike her. Quite to the contrary, she is… fond? of her. More than fond. Regina’s disgusted at the thought.

Her mind wanders back to the day they met. When Henry said that this strange woman was his _real_ mother. God that hurt. She was glad the woman brought her son back home, but damn! _I was in shock – truly._ This woman, dressed like no-one she’d ever seen before is standing on her front path. She recalls saying “You’re Henry’s birth mother?” as if somehow the woman would say “No.” The attractive long-haired blonde shrugged her shoulders and sheepishly offered her a “Hi.” Regina wonders at how her life with Henry would have proceeded if Emma had just left town that day and not looked back.

The more Regina wanted Emma gone, the more Emma dug in her heels. The blonde was not only stubborn as hell but defiant to boot! There was something about that which excited Regina. For so many years she’d lived in Storybrooke completely unopposed. No-one would dare defy her. With Emma, though, they were definitely engaged in a battle and Regina loved the feeling it gave her. She felt challenged, determined and knew she would fight to keep Henry with every ounce of her being. Regina enjoyed violating Emma’s personal space and staring the blonde in the eyes until Emma would step back or flinch. Well, until Emma stopped retreating and advanced instead. She had to admit, there was a more than a spark of excitement between them.

She really wants to be furious with Emma for this latest heartbreak. Regina wants to hurt her – break her heart for once. But, she doesn’t have it in her anymore. That anger that ruled her life for so many years has dissipated so much in the last four. And that’s because of Henry. If she were being truthful she’d have to say that Henry hasn’t been the only one responsible for that. Emma, Snow and even Charming – she mentally sticks out her tongue at that – have contributed to taming the wild beast inside her. If it even still exists. Regina grins a little. Yes. That lioness is still here to protect Henry. _Her_ Henry. Deciding her mind is too awake to allow sleep, Regina sits up in her bed, clicks on the night-stand lamp and pulls out her reading glasses and a novel.

Emma pulls up in front of her house and shuts off the engine and lights. She prepares herself mentally to enter the house and greet Killian. She’s down about what’s happened with Regina but if she tells him anything about it, he’ll try to cheer her up or distract her. _Would that be that bad?_ For some inexplicable reason she’s enjoying her melancholy. Perhaps she wants to feel responsible for the breakup between Robin and Regina a little longer. Emma shakes her head. _Well enough of that!_ She opens her door and steps out.

Soon as she opens the door, Killian is there to greet her with a “Welcome home, love.” He wraps his arms around her once she’s inside and kisses her gently. She responds. Gently. He seems in a better mood that she thought he’d be in. “How was your day?” he inquires. “Nothing special” she replies while walking over to the fridge. She opens the door and does a quick inventory before pulling out a couple bottles of beer. “You want a beer?” She had second-guessed his answer of yes. He takes a bottle from her as they both pull out chairs at the dining table.

“Any luck with releasing the fairies?” she ventures. Killian scowls at his bottle after taking a long pull, “No. It’s been days. Why can’t we get a bloody break?” Emma reaches out a hand to him, bringing his attention from the beer to her face. She gives him a small understanding smile. Killian has been so angry with himself for being Rumple’s tool. However, with Gold out of the picture – and presumably helpless in the “outside” world – all he has at his disposal is Belle and Regina’s knowledge of magic. Regina really doesn’t seem to care that the fairies are trapped in the Sorcerer’s hat. Belle, on the other hand, has been very diligent about looking for objects, spells and books that might free them.

Hook polishes off his bottle of beer, gets up and tosses it in a bin. He stands behind Emma and places his hand on her shoulder. Momentarily she tenses and then relaxes as he massages it and leans forward. “Want to head to bed?” he whispers into her ear. While that’s the question he asked, “Want to have sex?” is what Emma hears. That, she’s not feeling up for. “Nah,” she turns to him, “I think I’ll take my time finishing this”, lifting her near full bottle, “and come to bed later.” He gives her another kiss, putting his desire into it, but feeling it unappreciated, he withdraws. “See you later then love.”

Emma’s back to thinking about Regina again. She doesn’t understand the connection she has to the woman. Sure, she’s her son’s mother. And her own mother’s former nemesis. Plus, they have this magic thing going on that no-one else has. But there is _something_ about Madam Mayor that attracts Emma to her. She just can’t seem to put a finger on it. Maybe it’s Regina’s fierceness – her passion. For a moment Emma thinks she has found it. She loves Regina’s passion - like a mama lion. Emma wishes that she’d had a Regina when she was growing up. Someone who would fight tooth and nail to protect her. Someone to love her profoundly, unconditionally. Being the daughter of a wealthy mayor wouldn’t have been too bad either.


	3. Meanwhile, Back In Boston

Dr. Maura Isles, the Chief Medical Examiner, has Mr. Bonadetti on an examination table under a sheet, while she sits on the sofa in her office eats her tofu stir-fry with chopsticks for an early lunch. When she's finished she puts on her lab coat and enters the lab.

"If you're ready Susie, let's see what killed him."

Dr. Isles' Assistant ME, Susie, already has her coat and surgical gloves on. Despite working in a morgue, surrounded by dead naked bodies and cutting them up, the tone in the laboratory is precise but not morbid. Maura enjoys her wide-eyed assistant's enthusiasm. The fact that Susie practically worships Maura doesn't hurt her ego any either.

They remove the sheet, revealing a fully clothed corpse. Then Susie picks up a camera and clipboard for taking notes and the Maura turns on her recorder.

"File 4672987, Nicolas Joseph Bonadetti," she begins.

The Chief ME slowly moves around the clothed body searching for fibers, hairs, fluids, stains, rips, mud or anything attached to the clothing or shoes. If Maura finds anything, Susie photographs the spot and notes it on a diagram. Then it is carefully removed, placed into a labeled evidence container. The whole process is repeated again after they turn the body. So far, they've got pizza sauce, parmesan cheese, a couple hairs and fibers plus bits of dirt from Nick's shoes.

The next stage of the external examination happens after the corpse is disrobed. Everything worn by the deceased is re-examined on removal and bagged. Dr. Isles and Susie weigh and measure the body before making a thorough inspection of it. Signs of rigor mortis and lividity are also measured and noted. It doesn't appear that Mr. Bonadetti was moved in the time between his death and discovery. They do notice he has some bruising but it can easily be related to falling. Nonetheless, the Chief ME requests an X-ray of his facial bones. Working together the medical examiners clip his fingernails and scrape them clean so any material underneath them can be examined for traces of skin or blood. They opt for a break before beginning the next part of the autopsy and respectfully place a clean sheet over the naked body.

Returning to Mr. Bonadetti they remove the sheet and place him onto an operating table. The first thing Dr. Isles does for the internal examination is make the "Y" incision. She and Susie remove and weigh the internal organs and empty the stomach contents. Then they take blood samples,tissue samples for DNA tests and start the toxicological tests. Maura makes the incision to examine and remove the brain. After all of that is finished, they put the organs put back in the body, sew it up and move it into cold storage. Susie begins some additional tests and follows-up on tests that they started earlier in the day.Maura returns to her office to brew another cup of tea. 

Devi Premal is chanting the "Gayatri Mantra" with the volume turned down to a whisper and Maura stretches and seats herself in a modified lotus position on the floor. There are a couple things about this autopsy that don't feel right to her but she can't put her finger firmly on either of them. It seems to her that there is more bruising than there should have been from a direct fall. Almost as if the fall had some momentum behind it - like a push or shove. The other thing is eluding her altogether. She's got the beginnings of a nasty headache. "Om bhurbuvahsvah, tat saviturvarenyam" seeps into her consciousness from her speakers.

No sooner has Maura returned to her desk then Jane barges in puts her hands on the front edge of it and asks "So we can put this death down to natural causes?"

"You must have been going crazy waiting for me Jane. Whenever we have a corpse from a possible crime scene you rush in like we're standing in the middle of the crosswalk and the light's changed! ... Plus, you totally disrupted my composure and made my headache worse."

Jane steps back, "Sorry about your headache, can I get you something for it?"

"Already done," Maura replies and sips her tea from a beautiful and fragile-looking cup that could very well be a collectible. Jane sits on the sofa and looks at the cup. She thinks of her over-sized Red Sox coffee mug with the glued-on handle and shakes her head.

"What?" Maura asks, having noticed the mysterious head movement.

"You and I are so different," Jane begins and Maura finishes with "Viva la difference!" in perfect French.

"So natural causes?" she smiles eagerly at Maura.

"There _are_ no natural causes," the doctor smiles back, closes one eye and looks at Jane through the other.

"It's not natural to have high blood sugar, high cholesterol or high blood pressure," she continues. Maura's noticing for the first time today what Jane is wearing. A black crew-cut top under a lightweight long-sleeved grey jacket with matching slacks, black socks (only visible because Jane now has her legs crossed) and black - disgustingly boring black - shiny and equally ugly low-heeled shoes on.

"Isn't that what you were wearing Friday?"

"No, oh Yes! Maur-ra why are you torturing me?" Jane gives her an overly-pained look. "For some wild reason I didn't think you'd notice. And FYI I do have more than one black top." A silent moment passes.

"What about time of death?" Jane asks hopefully, bringing her dark eyebrows together.

"Now that is something I _can_ tell you. Mr. Bonadetti died between 11pm Sunday and 1am Monday."

"Around the midnight hour," Jane muses.

Maura's facial expression changes from studious to concerned, "What about the boy?"

Jane wears her almost black hair loose and often ends up with parts of it falling over her face - which she blows on - knowing it doesn't do any good, and ends up either tossing her hair back or picking up the errant strands and relocating them. Now she tucks some unruly locks behind her ear.

"Nothing. The FBI team is working with us and his mother. There have been no ransom demands - no calls about the boy to either his father's or mother's phones. We have absolutely _no_ leads. It's odd. All law enforcement agencies have been informed of the boy’s disappearance but it hasn't been made public yet."

Maura nods her head slightly in understanding and then returns to typing up her report.

"Am I done here?" Jane asks.

"I am just waiting for a couple more results from the lab, Jane. It shouldn't be much longer. I can call you as soon as I have them."

Jane slumps her shoulders and gives Maura a reluctant "O-kay." 

She doesn't rise from the couch but instead leans back and looks at Maura. In a beautiful simple-cut blue dress - that Maura would never call just "blue" - falling in a gentle shallow curve from one shoulder to the other. In the middle of the curve is a small notch, not long enough to be indiscreet but rather as an invitation to wonder. If you stared at it. Like Jane just realized she had been doing.

Hoping Maura didn't catch her looking, Jane says "You don't mind if I just chill here for a few minutes, do you?" It was delivered more as a statement than a question. With more than a bit of envy Jane is now looking at Maura's perfectly in place hair and applied make-up. By this time of the day Jane's blush and lip gloss are gone.

The doctor continues typing into her decorator laptop and Jane figures she might as well go.

As she stands to leave, Maura looks to her door and Susie stands just outside.

"I've got those results you were waiting on Dr. Isles."

Maura waves Susie into the office and takes the extended file folder from her.

"Hello Detective Rizzoli," she says smiling at Jane but speaking without inflection.

Maura opens the file as Susie leaves.

"Heart attack, Jane."

"Yes!" Jane replies as if she's just scored. "See you at The Dirty Robber?" 

"Sure, I am ready to call it a day." Maura clicks her laptop closed.


	4. Tuesday Storybrooke

"Don't forget your fruit kid!" Emma tosses an apple to Henry who turns in the doorway in time to catch it and closes the door. The Sheriff of Storybrooke is eating Lucky Charms for breakfast. Her immaturity is showing because she's spooning up mouthfuls of it from a bowl where it floats in milk. If she still lived alone back in Boston she'd just have grabbed a handful from the cereal box instead. Glancing at the clock on the stove she grumbles “Shit! Late again!”, picks up the bowl and drinks what’s left from it and then tosses it into the sink.

When she gets to the Sheriff's office, her Deputy, her Dad, is sitting behind the desk looking at a laptop screen. Despite the awkwardness created by being almost the same age, she manages a "Hi Dad," and moves to see what he's looking at. With mock irritation she asks him "Solitaire? Really?" He smiles at his daughter "You're late and I was bored." David is amazed that she went from his little newborn baby to a fully grown blonde beauty overnight. Charming and Snow wander from happy to sad and back again whenever they see Emma. Sheriff Swan hangs her red jacket on the coat-rack as her dad stands and stretches. "Join us for dinner tonight?" he asks as he takes his corduroy quilted jacket off the rack. Emma grins "Of course! Don't I always?" She doesn't even ask what time as the past few years have shown that her mom gets hungry by 6:30pm. Plus any dinner that Emma doesn't have to cook is fine by her. 

David made a fresh pot of coffee while he was waiting for her so she fills a large non-descript mug with it and adds a heaping spoonful of sugar. Settling down at her desk, she turns on her computer, leans back and looks through window. Emma lets her mind wander while sipping coffee. She’s relaxed and has discovered that she really loves this weird little town. Mostly. That is to say she loves it when she doesn’t have to hunt down evil creatures and exile them to other worlds, usually with a lot of help from Regina and some help from her mom and dad. Before Ingrid the Ice Queen cast a shielding spell on the town, she and Henry _could_ have spent time outside of Storybrooke without any devastating effects to their memories. However they are both quite content not to venture out. Emma really detests traffic and crowds and Henry now has both his moms, his grandparents Snow & Charming, plus this has been his home for years. In her childhood she imagined being re-united with her parents but her hope turned to despair and then bitterness as she matured. Through adulthood she never ever thought she would see her child again. Now she has her parents, her son, a couple good friends – Regina and Ruby – and a boyfriend, Killian, who is so taken by her that he barely leaves her side.

Emma and Regina are taking visitation turns with Henry. This week is Emma's and on Friday the Mayor will be picking up Henry from school. Deputy Nolan handles the Sheriff’s office on alternating weekends with his daughter and works odd hours during the week when Emma's not in. Gold has been banished from town by Belle and life has been downright pleasant these past couple weeks for Sheriff Swan. Even if Regina is broken-hearted over sending Robin into the world-without-magic to look after his re-united wife Marian and their son Roland. Truth be told, Emma’s chest hurts when she thinks of it. Henry feels terrible that Regina has lost at love once more even though he personally doesn’t miss Robin or Roland much.

The Sheriff and the Mayor have come a long, long way since their first encounter. Having not grown up in the Enchanted Forest she has had an extremely hard time understanding what the world there was like. Most of the folks in Storybrooke are a mystery to her. She knows what Henry told her, but it's too much to deal with all at once. Now she's got her son, an easy job, and prefers to just live a day at a time. It speaks volumes that Emma doesn't think of Regina as a villain anymore despite having a hard time getting her head around the whole "Evil Queen" thing. Not even having looked at her computer screen, the Sheriff shuts it down, grabs her jacket and heads out to patrol the town. At around noon she pulls up at Granny's Diner for lunch and gossip.

"Hi Emma!" a cheerful voice belonging to Belle calls out. She's facing the door in a booth with a buddy of Hook's sitting across from her. The Sheriff responds with a "Hi Belle!" and she sits herself down at the counter. Ruby comes over and asks "The usual?" Emma gives the tall, attractive red-head a grinning "Yup." She looks around at the lunch crowd in the diner. _The usual_ she thinks. _Some things never change_. Granny's at the cash register and notices Regina walk in. "Mayor," she nods. "Granny," the Mayor nods back. Everyone turns to quietly look at Regina for a moment and then they resume wherever they'd left off. Regina comes up to the counter by Emma and asks "Mind if I sit here?" "Madame Mayor," Emma turns to her, "no problem." Regina raises an eyebrow to suggest the improbability that there even could have been a problem to negate. When Ruby comes to the counter with Emma's cheeseburger and fries, she turns to Regina and asks "What can I get you Mayor?" Without looking at a menu, Regina tells her "A chicken and kale salad, chopped and tossed, light on the dressing - and a cup of black tea."

Because of Henry, and the whole Evil Queen Curse / Savior born of True Love situation, Regina and Emma see a lot of each other. Also, as Regina's the Mayor and Emma's the Sheriff they have the boss and subordinate thing going on. Emma notices that Regina is wearing her customary black and grey, with a touch of red - her lipstick and the kerchief peeking out of the blazer's breast pocket. Unlike Emma's hair, Regina's obviously spent some time in front of the mirror before coming to the diner. Every strand is in place. The blonde opts for minimalist make-up, while Regina doesn't overdo it. She doesn't underdo it either. It's perfect. 

Regina watches Emma chow down her burger with mild disgust. She never expected her curse to figuratively come back and bite her in the butt. Rumplestilskin had warned her. She knew better than anyone - except maybe the Dark One himself - that Magic _always_ comes with a price. Regina Mills has been trying to put all of that behind her. _No magic and no paying for it_. Despite the very antagonistic beginning of their relationship, Regina has actually developed a touch of fondness for Henry's birth-mother. The Evil Queen and Mayor of Storybrooke knew almost everything there was to know about the town's inhabitants, except for Miss Swan. Emma, on the other hand, provided mystery and intrigue - at least to a greater extent than anyone else. Regina was curious to hear what life in this world outside of Storybrooke was like. Because her memories hadn't been swept away with the curse, she'd traveled outside the town before. The day she traveled to pick up Henry was the happiest day of her life. Other than that though, she doesn't really care for anything outside of Storybrooke. She doesn't like anything that she can’t control, through magic or otherwise. Now here she is, sitting next to Emma, pondering the weird relationships they have in common and the huge differences between them.

Regina quietly eats her salad with poise while Emma tosses the last of her french fries into her mouth. "Sheriff Swan," the Mayor begins, "Would you stop by my office after you finish work today." It was a statement, not a question. "Can't," Emma replies, "Henry and I are having dinner with – my parents." "How about after your dinner then," Regina continues, "you could leave Henry there and pick him up when we're done." "What's it about?" Emma raises an eyebrow. "You'll have to find out tonight." The Mayor returns to her salad and her Sheriff rises to walk out of the diner. The blonde stares back at her, “I’m not interested in being told how I’ve ruined your happy ending. Again.” Regina looks down and then back to Emma, “I’m sorry I lost my temper last night. I…” she takes a swallow, apologies are exceptionally difficult for the Queen, “I know you. I know you didn’t bring Marian back to cause me pain. You can’t help yourself from being the Savior.” Emma half-smirks but her green eyes look deep into brown, “Apology accepted.” A gracious smile spreads across the Mayor’s face, “Then you’ll come over?”

Back at the office the Sheriff sits down, brings up the internet and checks the Law Enforcement Alerts. Not that they have ever affected her there. She's just curious to see what "real" police and sheriffs are up to. There's a photo of a missing boy. Nicolas "Nicky" Joseph Bonadetti, Jr. has been missing since Sunday night. Thinking that he's a few years younger than Henry, she recalls that when Henry was missing in Neverland how painfully her heart was breaking. Emma’s usual way of dealing with heartbreak is to get really angry. Or very drunk. Or really angry and very drunk. _Just like Leroy – something back in the Enchanted Forest must have really smashed his heart to bits!_ Fortunately for Emma, Regina and her family were able to take immediate action to get Henry back. The blonde is prompted to give Henry a call just to hear his voice, to re-assure herself that he is safe and sound – and, hopefully, happy. As she talks to him her spirits lift and she finds that she’s smiling. It seems that just maybe she’s found her happy ending except that there’s something preventing her from feeling secure about it. Regina. Not that the Mayor’s a threat to Emma’s happiness, it’s that she can’t be completely happy unless Regina has her own happy ending as well. At this point there is nothing promising on that horizon.

The rest of the Sheriff’s day is tediously uneventful. Emma split the afternoon boredom in two by taking a long walk in the middle. She tosses paperwork from one side of her desk to the other while waiting for the clock to give her permission to leave. As if on cue, Killian steps up beside her as soon as she’s locked up the office. “Hello luv,” he grins, chin tilted down so he looks at her with dark, hooded eyes. Emma jumps, “Holy shit! You scared the crap out of me!” The pirate looks offended, “I’m sorry luv – I thought I’d give you a pleasant surprise by showing up.” The blonde steadies her breath, “It’s a surprise alright.” He steps up to her and places his arm across her shoulders, “How about a sunset sail with the sexiest bloke this side of the realms?” He raises his eyebrows a couple times after he asks that hoping to induce a “yes” reply. Instead he gets “Can’t tonight. Henry and I are having dinner with Mom and Dad.” Disappointed but not missing a beat he states “Do you think they would mind if I invited myself?”

Emma thinks that, yeah, it’s not really a question but she knows her parents would most definitely not object. When they get to her bug, Killian pulls on her upper arm gently to turn her to face him. He steps into her space, planting a booted foot and a leather-clad leg between hers. He leans forward and places his one hand at the back of her head, encouraging her to look up and into his eyes. In the next moment his mouth is on hers, soft and then probing. Emma responds but for some elusive reason she isn’t able to put her heart into the kiss. Afraid that he’ll notice her hesitation, she deepens it. Her deception seems to have worked because he moans in satisfaction.


	5. Tuesday, Boston

"If my name was Ronald MacDonald I'd run away from home too!" Jane, standing in front of the desk, says to Maura, standing behind it.

"Ronald MacDonald is a very noble name. It traces back to the great MacDonald Clan of Scotland," Maura looks up to Jane with a polite and sincere expression, "Ranald MacDonald was son of John, who was the 1st Lord of the Isles in the 14th Century, and a descendant of Somerled, the King of the Isles in the 12th Century-"

"Maura, it was only a joke!", Jane interrupts at the point her eyes glazed over with information overload, "I was being sarcastic!"

"I am still having difficulty discerning your sarcasm from sincerity," Maura responds defensively.

Jane steps around the desk and gently places her arms around Maura, "I know I can be a pain in the ass. I'm sorry for snapping at you."

Earlier that morning, Jane sat in on the meeting with Agent Schiff, the same man from the FBI CARD team sent out to handle the disappearance of a boy reported yesterday. Last night another 10-year-old boy vanished. Again there was nothing amiss except for the open window of his 5th floor bedroom. The air in the conference room was tense. Jane said, "Maybe Spiderman has gone rogue." Korsak raised an eyebrow and gave her a look that implied, "Really Jane??" She caught his expression and shrugged her shoulders. 

The disappearance of two unrelated children with similar MOs meant this was more than just a single family being targeted. If there were a homicide involved, or even a suspicious death, Jane would have been out there beating the bushes, the shrubs, the trees - giving the investigation her all. As it was, suspected kidnappings fell immediately under the control of the FBI's Child Abduction Rapid Deployment (CARD) Team. Back in the 1930's Congress gave the FBI jurisdiction to immediately investigate any mysterious disappearance or kidnapping of a child. There doesn't have to be a ransom demand, the child doesn't need to cross state lines and the child doesn't need to be missing for 24 hours. Soon as a child under 13 is reported as possibly abducted, the FBI is there. Agent Schiff is the designated leader for this team. Detective Rizzoli sensed his astuteness but also his frustration.

Jane knows there is nothing she can officially do in this case. As the conversation in the room had halted and the gravity of the situation settled on everyone in the room, Jane did what she does. She made a silly remark. Despite her method it did accomplish the objective she wanted. The "I can't believe you said that" expression from Vince and the break in silence Agent Schiff needed to move the conversation and investigation along.

After the meeting, Detective Rizzoli got herself an extra-large coffee from her mom down in the café. Angela had a brief chat with her daughter. 

"How are the parents holding out?" the elder Rizzoli asked. 

"They are so shocked by the mysterious disappearances of their sons they are almost paralyzed, " Jane replied. Mom could always see situations from a parent's perspective. 

"I would be out of my mind if you or Frankie or Tommy went missing when you were young. Even now that you're all grown I still get anxious if I haven't heard from Tommy in a couple weeks." Angela continued.

After a moment, she sheepishly began, "Jane, is it too early to discuss-" 

"Yes, it is," Jane cut her off abruptly. 

"Okay," her mom said resigned not to broach the subjects of romance or children for the time being. 

Jane took the cup and walked away. She took the elevator to visit the Chief Medical Examiner and life-long best friend forever, Dr. Maura Isles.

Maura had just returned from her laboratory and was planning to have a light lunch at her desk when Jane arrived. Before the doctor got seated, Jane began telling her about the second child disappearance case. 

"This boy's name is Ronnie, and the younger of two sons. The family lives in a large three bedroom apartment on the fifth floor. Mr. and Mrs. John MacDonald and, presumably, both boys were in their own bedrooms sound asleep when Ronnie disappeared. Mr. MacDonald said he thought he heard a window opening around midnight. He put on his robe and slippers and went to investigate. His eldest son was in bed asleep. The younger one was gone, window wide open. The father ran to the window looked out and called his name. That woke up the wife and other son. Mr. MacDonald hurried downstairs to check the street. The only people he encountered were a young couple walking down the road. They hadn't seen or heard anything until the father stuck his head out of the window and started yelling. At that point, Mrs. MacDonald called us - I mean the BDP. Then the FBI team took over. No signs of forced entry or a struggle. "

Now Jane is standing with her arms around Maura, having apologized - once again - for being a smart-ass. Jane moves her head back to look Maura in the eyes before saying "Are we good?"

Maura gives her a tight smile and says "Yeah. We're good." At which point Jane lets go and walks back towards the office door, saying "I'll let you get back to your celery sticks or whatever you brought yourself for lunch."

Maura sits down and starts to review her notes on Nicolas Bonadetti, Sr. There's a nagging feeling at the back of her brain. She taps the eraser of a yellow pencil on the pages of the open folder. He hit the floor with more force than she'd expected. There was no sign on his body that he had been pushed. But did that mean he hadn't been? Nope, if he'd been pushed he would probably taken a step forward or extended his hands in front of him to break the fall. Instead, he fell directly from where his feet were planted. Mr. Bonadetti is scheduled to be picked up the next morning. She closes his file and goes to work on other projects. 

At about 7pm she prepares to leave the office when a thought occurs to her. Maura sets her handbag back down and puts her lab coat on.

Dr. Isles pulls on surgical gloves and walks over to the vault containing Nicolas. She carefully slides out the tray partway and pulls the cover down to expose his face and some of his upper body.

"What is it about you that's troubling me?" Maura asks her silent companion.

She moves the sheet across his body to reveal the arm closest to her. Lifting his arm by his hand and bending it at the elbow, she inspects his palm. She turns it to the light and it seems like there is something wrong with her vision. She blinks and looks away for a minute. Then she lifts his arm higher. 

The overhead lights in the laboratory cast a shadow on the table and on her chest of the raised arm. But only _her_ raised arm _._ Maura is positive it has to be an optical illusion of some sort. She puts his arm back down. Waving her own arm up and down she focuses on its shadow. It is there moving with her like an extension of her body. She picks up his arm again, this time making it upright from shoulder to fingertips. There is no shadow. Maura's head is startingto hurt. She rubs her temples. _I have got to be imagining this. I am too tired and my eyes are weary._ The doctor decides she'll have another look at him in the morning. She covers him up and slides the drawer back in.

"Goodnight Mr. Bonadetti," she says pulling off her gloves and tossing them into the disposal bin.

After a small dinner, a refreshing glass of red wine, a change of clothes and a short stint of yoga, Maura sits on her sofa and picks up a copy of Vogue. As she slowly flips the pages, her eyes seem to catch all the details in the photographs. Especially when there are shadows in the pictures and when there are not. She finds it disturbing that she is even thinking about shadows.

Curiosity and her ever-present drive to know the scientific reason for everything pushes her off the sofa and to her dining table where's she got her laptop sitting. She turns it on and starts to research shadows and optical illusions. Lack of a logical researched explanation for an event is just not tolerable!

She comes across an interesting article at the National Institute of Health site called "My shadow, myself: Cast-body shadows are embodied:" , which, unfortunately doesn't shed any light on her enigma. The results of the experiments suggested that while the shadows don't provide tactile feedback, observers considered the shadows a part of them.

Then there was an nice quote from Plutarch which read "I don't need a friend who changes when I change and who nods when I nod; my shadow does that much better." 

The number of hits for phrasing containing "shadow", as in shadow-less, no shadow, and just "shadow" is about half a billion. For "optical illusions" it is less than 5 million. Then for "optical illusions involving shadows" Maura gets it down to under 2 million. She edits that to "optical illusions involving no shadows" and is down to less than 1 million. Still way to many to deal with. Once she starts reading titles that might offer a clue or two, she still can't find a scientific explanation for what she believes she witnessed. Before she gives up looking for the night she comes across another shadow story.

In 2006, there was a children's novel published called "Peter and the Shadow Thieves". In the novel, the villain, Lord Ombra (which Maura already knows is Italian for "shadow"), is able to steal one's shadow to enslave them. Ultimately Lord Ombra is killed when a flash of light breaks him into millions of very tiny little shadows.

Maura falls asleep on her couch dreaming of Peter Pan and Lord Ombra.


	6. Back in Storybrooke (Still Tuesday)

When Killian shows up at the Charmings’ home, he’s got a bouquet of bright flowers on his hook and a bottle of red wine in his hand. Snow answers the door with a surprised, wide smile as she takes the flowers from him, “How lovely!” Hook tucks his head and says “Am I right in assuming Emma told you I’d be here?” The petite brunette chuckles, “Of course. You are always welcome here!”

Once he’s inside Emma comes up to him and he gives her a peck on the cheek. She turns to look at him seriously and informs “I have to go to Regina’s after dinner for a bit.” He frowns “How long is a ‘bit’?” Emma squints a little and says “Maybe an hour or two? She wants to discuss something with me but I’ve no idea what – you don’t need to wait up for me.” He’s insulted, “Of course I’ll wait for you.” She holds his hand in both of hers and requests, “Please don’t wait for me. I’ll make it up to you another night, when it’s just the two of us.”

After the dinner’s been eaten, dishes washed, dried and put away, Killian asks Emma “Is it time for you to go?” The blonde nods yes. "I'll be back in an hour, " Emma informs Snow and Charming, "maybe an hour and a half." Henry was already watching TV and calls back without turning around, "See ya' then!" Her parents make the assumption that she’ll be doing something with Killian and they wave her off with a “Have fun!”

Hook reminds Emma that she owes him a night alone together before kissing her goodnight and wandering off in the direction of the waterfront. She walks out to her car rives to Regina's. It is dark on the street. The lamps are spaced far apart along the sidewalks. The path leading up to the Mayor's front door is dim as well despite the beautifully made lights on either side of it.

Emma pauses on the path and looks at the mansion. _Impressive. A modern day castle._ She approaches the front door. When she knocks on the door it opens slightly. She opens it halfway and puts a booted foot in, “Regina?” From somewhere well inside the house she hears “Miss Swan. Come in and close the door. I’m in the living room.”

Emma walks cautiously down the hallway which opens to a sunken living room on the right. The room is dimly lit and Regina sits in a large grey overstuffed chair near the fireplace. The Mayor picks up an open bottle of wine. “Join me,” she says as Emma descends into the room. Regina sets down her own glass on the side table to pick up the empty one and pour the deep red wine into it. The blonde steps over saying, “I’d better not. I’ve had a glass or two already.” The brunette replies with, “Well, so have I” and she hands the filled stemmed crystal to her. Emma wordlessly takes it from Regina before sitting herself down on the matching loveseat on the opposite side of the small table.

She waits for the Mayor to speak again. A silent minute passes. Regina places the bottle back on the table and retrieves her glass. She swirls the wine in it slowly before taking a sip. Emma sniffs her glass, brings it to her lips and takes a small swallow. When she looks up she sees Regina’s dark eyes looking back at her. “I hope you like it,” the brunette says, eyes still fixed on Emma’s, “So. You are probably wondering why I asked you here.” Emma doesn’t look away and remains still. Waiting. “Not feeling chatty Miss Swan?” Still silence.

Finally Regina reveals something saying “It has come to my attention that the only single man of our physical age here in Storybrooke is your devoted puppy Killian.”

Emma rolls her eyes at the comment and takes another swallow of wine.

"You do know that he stalks you. What you see desirable in him has to be more than his limited intelligence."

"Is that why you asked me here? To insult my taste in men?" Emma angrily strikes back. "Haven't you something better to do with your time?" she continues, "I'd rather not waste mine."

"No that's not why I asked you here Miss Swan," Regina replies calmly, "However I thought you should know of Mr. Jones limitations. That, and every time he has _attempted_ to help you, not only has he failed miserably, but you've ended up in a more dire situation because of it."

"Can we not talk of Killian," Emma requests, "Just tell me what you want from me."

Regina finishes her wine and speaks while looking down into the empty glass.

“In order for me to find a potential male friend, I need to go _outside_ of town.”

That statement gets a raised eyebrow from Emma.

“That puts me in a bit of a dilemma,” Regina continues.

With her chin down she looks up at Emma. "I do not know how to date."

The blonde practically laughs, "Let me get this right – _You_ are asking _me_ for dating advice?"

"What's so funny Miss Swan? We grew up in completely different worlds and times. Why shouldn't I ask you?"

Emma's still shaking her head in disbelief, "It's just so - hell, everything about this place is confusing. What makes you think my advice is worth anything? Look how my dating Neal turned out. Most of the men I've dated I ended up arresting…Oh and can you please drop the Miss Swan. Jeez Regina."

"Be that as it may Em-ma," Regina begins, "you still have more experience meeting and dating men than anyone I know."

"I don't know what to tell you, Regina. You meet a guy, maybe you hit it off, go for coffee or a drink. If you're still okay with each other after that, you start seeing each other."

"So where do you think I could meet someone?" Regina pours herself another glass of wine,

"Want more?" She raises the bottle as she asks and Emma hands her the glass.

"Well meeting at work is out," she's thinking of possibilities, "so is church, so is AA. The only option that coming to mind right now is a bar."

Emma takes a long drink, "How about I think on that and get back to you okay?"

"Thank you Emma," Regina smiles. Completely off topic she says, "Have you ever seen my home?"

She rises from the chair, glass in hand and motions for Emma to do the same.

While wandering through the rooms and hallways, Regina asks Emma questions about how to strike up conversations with men she might be interested in.

"For the time being, let's say that I see a man who interests me in a bar and I want to find out if he has a personality that measures up to his looks. What should I do?"

"I can tell you what I'd do. Whether that's what you should do I've no idea," the blonde replies.

"If there's a vacant seat next to him at the bar you could go sit in it," Emma looks at Regina, "then if he says he's waiting for someone - it's probably your cue to give up on him."

"But if he doesn't, get the bartender's attention and order a drink," she continues, "Maybe ask the guy what he's drinking - unless it's obvious he's having a cheap beer or something like that."

"And this is the Master bedroom," Regina says waving her hand into the open door and walking into the room.

"You should be able to- Wow!, this room is bigger than my whole apartment!" Emma exclaims.

"You were saying?" Regina prompts.

"Um, oh," Emma is surveying the room, the bed looks incredibly comfortable, and there's an alcove with a bench seat.

As Regina walks around a corner in the room she points, "This is the bathroom. I had an extra large shower installed - in hopes of sharing it with someone someday."

"Well, yeah. I hope you can someday," Emma looks at the beautiful shower enclosure with its four shower heads and iridescent tiling. She also notices the large bath at the far end.

The two of them exit the bathroom and Regina picks up the conversation, "What were you saying about the man's drink?"

"Well, if he's drinking a beer, he's below your pay grade. More my type."

Emma follows Regina out of the bedroom and down the hall back to the stairs.

"Maybe we can go to a bar together," Regina suggests, "and I can observe you in action."

"Ha! Like that's ever gonna happen," the blonde replies. She suddenly adds, "Oh shit! I need to get Henry!"

She hurries down the stairs to the door, "Thanks for the wine and tour, talk with you later!"

Regina just reaches the bottom step as Emma turns around in the open doorway to face her.

"Bye!" she says and then she's gone. 

There's the click of the door locking and all is quiet once again.

For a minute Regina stands there looking at the door. Then she walks into the living room and turns picks up the empty wine bottle. She sets the bottle and her glass on the kitchen counter, wondering where Emma left hers. Over by the refrigerator is a cup that she fills with cold water that she takes up the stairs with her back to her bedroom. Regina's gotten into the habit of taking an aspirin after she's had alcohol and before she goes to bed. It seems to prevent headaches and hangovers in the morning.

Stepping back outside the bathroom she sits on the window bench, slips off her heels and massages her feet. She pulls the hem of her blouse from the waist of her skirt and her fingers work the buttons of it undone. The buttons are glass with small metal loops attached that are sewn to the fabric. The fabric is silk and soft. Regina slips the blouse off and reaches down to unfasten her black skirt. It drops onto the carpet. Dressed in her undergarments she goes back into the bathroom to remove her makeup. Regina looks in her mirror and wonders about her future. Can someone love her? How will she ever be able to escape her past? Would it be possible for her to fall in love again? There are so many questions that she cannot answer. 

All the lights are off but there is now moonlight glowing through her alcove window. She moves her fingertips just under the lace design at the top of her bra and slides them up under the strap to drop it of her shoulder. The process is repeated with the other strap. She reaches behind to unfasten her bra and drops it onto the bench. After picking up her skirt and blouse and laying them out neatly, she removes her panties and walks to the bed. As Regina slips under the ultra-soft duvet she notices Emma's empty glass on the nightstand. She can hardly believe she let herself be so vulnerable by basically confessing she's lonely and asking the blonde to help her find a companion. In her mind's eye, Miss Swan is smirking at her.

While Emma's driving Henry back to her apartment he asks "What did Mom want?"

It still feels a bit odd for Henry to refer to Regina as "Mom" but she's getting accustomed to it.

"We had an adult conversation."

Henry straightens up in the seat, imagining he is taller and older. "I'm almost an adult. You can tell me." He says through an imploring smile.

"In that case I'll _almost_ tell you," his birth-mother replies. "Brush your teeth and hit the sack as soon as you're in the door," she continues as the car pulled up to the curb, "and don't think you're always staying up this late on a school night."

Once he's in bed, she comes into his room to tuck him in. "I love you kid," the blonde gives Henry a light kiss on this forehead. "Love you too Ma." She turns out his light and walks to her room, more like a closet relative to Regina's spacious home. Emma thinks back to her earlier conversation with the Mayor, so un-Mayor-like tonight. She can understand that Regina wants a man in her life, but, _sheesh!,_ to think Emma is going to play match-maker? The idea is ridiculous. She pictures Regina with a dark eyebrow raised and a crooked, strangely seductive, smile on her face. _This is going to be interesting_.


	7. Wednesday in Boston

It's a cloudy day in Boston, cool with a little bit of drizzle. Detective Jane Rizzoli cracks her knuckles as soon as she exits her car at the downtown office of the Boston Police Department. She briskly walks down the sidewalk, up the steps and opens one of the glass doors of the outer entrance to the building. The tall dark woman in a black pant suit carries no handbag or purse but a detective's gold badge clipped onto her belt. Next to the badge is a walkie-talkie and on the other side of the belt, at her hip, is a holstered gun. Beneath the jacket she wears a gray tight-knit sweater. Her long black hair falls loosely down both shoulders and back. 

"Hey Joe!" she says with a wide dazzling grin as she passes a uniformed cop on his way out. The policeman nods in her direction before she disappears through the doors. After entering the elevator Jane holds the door open with her hand while another department employee enters. Jane's eyebrows are thick and angled, tapering off and downward to the sides. Her right eyebrow frequently is a visual tell for Jane's thoughts, rising on its own when she her interest is piqued or she has a question. Sometimes that eyebrow does all the talking Jane needs to do. 

The detective strides into the Homicide department office completely comfortable with everything and everyone in it. "S'up Korsak?, Hey Bro!, Hi Nina," she offers up her greetings while heading to her desk. Jane Rizzoli is one hell of a detective and once she gets her emotions into an investigation it is almost all she can think about. Sometimes it’s _all_ she thinks about. That complete focus on being a homicide investigation cop gets her into some really nasty situations. There have been a few times when she acts first and thinks about all of the consequences later. It’s all about getting the perp. Unfortunately by risking her own life to do so, she inadvertently hurts those she loves because of it. Apart from that, Jane has a sincerity and playfulness which is very disarming. When she's not chasing or glaring down a murderer, she can be the nicest funniest person you could meet.

She swivels in her chair as she looks away from her computer monitor to Vince and calls across the room to him, "Vince! Any more on those two missing boys?"

"Yes and No," he replies from his desk chair. "Do you want the bad news first or the other bad news first?"

Jane gets up from her desk and hurries over to Korsak. "What do you mean?"

"Bad news is there is a third boy missing, same MO as the other two but this boy lives in Portland, Maine. The other bad news is that none of the three disappearances have any leads. No-one has contacted the parents. No-one knows anything."

"Damn it!" Jane swears without thinking. "Vince, I’m so worried about those boys - they could be dead for all we know. That or they might have been sold into slavery. Isn't there _something_ we can do?"

He looks at her with complete understanding, "I know how you're feeling Jane, but our hands are tied on this. The FBI is all over it. Just keep praying that those boys are okay."

"Well I'm afraid that if we don't catch who is doing this or somehow stop them today there's going to be a fourth boy missing tomorrow." Jane is practically growling. She grabs her empty coffee mug and heads to the near empty pot. There's just enough to fill her mug half-way. 

The detective sits back down at her desk and takes a swig, "Whoa! That stuff is strong!" 

Frankie turns to his sister and says, "Yeah the water's been evaporating for the last 30 minutes. Enjoy for cheap espresso." 

After a minute or so Jane's phone rings. "Hi Maura… Yeah, sure. Be right there."

Jane sees Dr. Isles through the glass walls of her office. Maura is wearing a simple blue print dress with wide gold belt, small gold earrings and a simple gold chain around her neck. Jane's not wearing any jewelry. She continues to observe Maura who is standing with her head tilted down, cupping her chin thoughtfully with a perfectly manicured hand. Then the doctor sees Jane and waves her in.

"Good morning Jane!" Maura flashes a beautiful smile effortlessly at the detective as she enters the office. "There is something that has really been bothering me about Mr. Bonadetti and I want to show it to you." Jane smiles back at her, "Let me guess. He's -" At that instant Jane's phone rings, "Rizzoli." In the next second Maura's cell buzzes, "Isles." They both look at each other. Maura grabs her ME bag and Jane says, "I'll drive."

Minutes later they pull up outside the taped off section of street and head on foot to the nearest uniform. Maura heads directly to the body on the pavement in the middle of the street and begins her on-site examination. Jane goes to the officer in-charge and finds the first responder for questioning.

They return to the precinct two hours later. Both head up to the autopsy lab. The assistant Medical Examiner, Susie, is working with the crew to bring in the deceased. Maura goes into her office with Jane in tow and sees a document face up on her desk.

"Damn!", Dr. Isles exclaims, "they took him!"

"Took who? Mr. Bonadetti?" the detective asks.

"Yes. He's been released to family."

Jane gives Maura a sideways puzzled look, “What’s so odd about that?”

“Doesn’t matter now,” the blonde says with a sigh of disappointment.

"Well, we have a Jane Doe who needs our help now," Detective Rizzoli states to bring the doctor’s attention back to the current case. 

Maura takes a deep breath and lets it out, "Okay then, let's begin." The doctor puts on her lab jacket and wriggles her fingers into surgical gloves.

They both look at the 20-something woman on the table. Her yellow blouse is bloodied on the left side. The blouse is stuck to the woman's bra and skin as it dried. There is a small tear in the fabric. "This damage looks like it could have been made by a 22-calibre bullet at close range. I'll let you know as soon as it's removed."

Later in the day the detective and the doctor meet up at The Dirty Robber. After their drinks arrived they sat and sipped at them in companionable silence. Jane's already on beer number two and Maura is finishing up a large glass of wine. 

"So what was it you wanted to tell me this morning?" Jane starts, "Before we got called out?"

"Oh," Maura gazes at her empty glass, "it's nothing really."

"Geez Maur, you were all hot to talk about it then." Unsuccessfully trying to catch the blonde's eyes, she adds "Are you sure?" 

"Well it doesn't really matter I guess." Maura sounds resigned like she has given up on something.

"Bullshit Maura!" Now the doctor's eyes look into Jane's with an offended expression on her face.

"You were all angry when we got back - you even swore because Mr. B was gone!"

Maura relents and tells Jane "If you insist on knowing-"

Jane reaches across the table to take the blonde’s hand in hers and gives her an open and imploring look, "I do. I want to know what had you so riled up."

"It's probably just my imagination or an illusion..." Maura begins while looking down at Jane’s hand on hers.

"Yesss" Jane draws out the word, coaxing Maura to continue, "You have my interest and full, undivided attention."

The blonde sighs and prepares herself to explain the un-explainable. She sits up straighter, squares her shoulders, clears her throat and continues, "It seems that Mr. Bonadetti has no shadow."

Jane stares at Maura quizzically. "What the -"

The doctor interrupts, "I can't explain it. Scientifically it's impossible."

The brunette’s brows knit together, "Are you pulling my leg Maura?"

The answer is a curt "No."

Jane leans forward, "This is not like you. You have reasons for everything. I mean every goddamned thing."

Maura looks into her friend’s puzzled eyes, "Not for this I don't. I wanted to show you before he was taken away. Now I have no way to corroborate my observation."

Naturally Jane believes her BFF but tells her, "That is just screwy Maura. People - heck - all objects cast shadows when a light hits them."

The blonde shakes her head, "It has been bothering me all last night and today. It actually makes me angry."

Jane motions to the waiter. "Another round please. Thanks."

Turning her attention back to Maura she asks "Did you mention it to anyone?"

The doctor steels her look. "Besides you? No. Definitely not. If you were able to witness the phenomenon, I would have asked Susie to as well. I have nothing to back me up."

As the waiter sets the beer and wine on the table, she asks Jane "Do you want some food to go with those?"

"We'd better eat something," Maura suggests.

Jane answers the waiter, "Cheeseburger and fries."

The waiter turns to Maura, "Kale Chicken Caesar - no croutons and light on the dressing. Thank you."

Looking deep into her friend's eyes, Jane compassionately tells her "I can't believe what you saw - or didn't see. It's a wonder your brain hasn't short-circuited."

The doctor puts her hand to her forehead and nods side to side, "I can't believe what I saw either, but I can't erase it from my mind."

"I'm so sorry Maura," Jane reaches across the table to wrap her hand around Maura's forearm. On feeling the warmth and comfort of the touch Maura lowers her arm back to the table. Jane's hand remains, fingers wrapped around the arm and her thumb gently brushing against the skin.

The blonde gives Jane a half-smile, "Thanks Jane. As crazy as it is, it helps to share this with you."

A large grin forms on Jane's face and her eyes light up a notch, "Anytime."

Their meals arrive and the detective starts talking about the third boy who is missing. That all three of them disappeared under similar circumstances is almost as baffling as the shadow-less Mr. Bonadetti. As they get up to leave the restaurant, Jane asks Maura if she'd like some company tonight.

"We could both use the distraction of each other," the detective says and then quickly adds, "to get our minds off of these frustrating events."

"Well I suppose I could try to get lost in a good book or a movie," the doctor replies.

"A movie! Yeah! Do you have popcorn? How about a "Fast and Furious?" Jane asks hopefully, "A good action movie could be just what we need!"

”Oh, I was thinking something more along the lines of "Les Enfants du Paradis" Maura responds.

"The pants of what?? No way Maura! I am not going to watch a movie with a foreign title!"

The pair of them settle on a compromise: "Mama Mia!" a foreign title with a musically upbeat plot.

After dancing and singing along with "Dancing Queen" they collapse laughing on the couch, Maura reaches for a glass of water and Jane reaches into the popcorn bag. Maura scoffs "No wonder you've got a raspy voice - you don't hydrate enough!"

"Raspy my ass!" Jane lowers her voice and her eyelids. "It's sultry."

"Cute." Maura remarks.

"Definitely NOT cute." Jane responds. "Sexy."

Maura grins and they go back to watching the movie. 

When it's over Jane asks "Can I just crash on your couch?"

"Of course you can sleep on my couch Jane, but there's no reason to. My bed is plenty big enough for the both of us."

Jane frowns, feeling uncomfortable with Maura's suggestion. "Didn't you tell me once that you sleep in the nude?"

"Yes I normally do Jane," Maura smiles back, "but I _do_ have pajamas."

Jane sighs in relief, "Well, okay then." It's not like they haven't fallen asleep on a bed together before.

Maura finds an over-sized T-shirt for Jane and says "Don't ask" when she hands it to her.

That just baits Jane. "You can't say that because you know it has the opposite effect on me."

"I'll tell you tomorrow then. Let's just go to sleep tonight." Maura changes into pale lavender silk pajamas in the bathroom. When she comes out, Jane appears to be fast asleep on the far side of the bed. Maura smiles at her as she gently pulls the covers down on her side and slips underneath them.


	8. Wednesday Storybrooke

The Mayor is dressed in red and black today. The cuffs of a red satin long sleeved blouse peek out intentionally from the short black woolen jacket. The jacket itself is open revealing the rich deep red of the blouse and how neatly it is tucked into the matching just above the knee black woolen skirt. The buttons are undone to the point where the top of her black bra is tantalizingly revealed. Her gold and black jewelry is simple - almost understated, however, more than a cursory glance reveals the black as pure onyx and the gold as 24 karat. To anyone else in Storybrooke the quality of Mayor Mills wardrobe would be over-the-top. To Regina it's just another day's business casual look. She knows what she likes and does not settle for imitation anything or for items of a lesser quality than the best. Her black suede heels click musically across the wood entry floor of her home as she heads to the front door. With a blood red apple in hand and soft black suede bag on her shoulder, she closes and magically locks the door. _Oops! Glad Henry wasn’t here to see that._ Despite her promise to use magic when only absolutely necessary, she finds simple unobserved spells irresistible.

Overhead is a solid sky of cloud. No blue or sun rays peeking through. Some patches are thinner than others where an airbrushed light comes to the ground. Seagulls glide and squawk in this narrow slice of the atmosphere. Mayor Mills walks the sidewalk purposefully, regally. Her dark chocolate eyes observing all. She is not one to shirk from looking at people directly in the eyes. It often makes _them_ uncomfortable and it always makes _her_ aware of her power. Most will glance away from that stare. But not Swan. She dishes it right back at her. In others Regina might take it as ignorance, but with Miss Swan it’s a challenge. _Why does that curiously annoying blonde think she has a right to question my authority?_

The buildings on Main Street are in good condition as is the road and sidewalk. Everything in this part of Storybrooke is exactly how Regina wants it to look. If it is somewhere she doesn't see it, well, then it doesn't matter what it looks like does it? If anyone complains, she just tells the town council to "fix it." If it's her complaint, she tells the council to "fix it NOW!" - accompanied with a look that could make a person pee his pants. She loves _The Evil Queen_ and not giving a damn what anyone thinks or does - but, she loves Henry _more_. He cares about other people. He wants _her_ to care too. It's no wonder Regina is so terribly conflicted. Her instinct is to be ruthless. Her hope is to be compassionate. As the Mayor recalls that she is supposed to be this new and improved version of herself, she smiles and nods at the next person she meets en route to the Sheriff's office. 

"Good Morning Miss Swan," Regina begins when she sees Emma's eyes look to over to her as she enters the office, "How is Henry?" Emma crosses the room to stand opposite her.

"I'm good, thanks," with eyes leveled the blonde replies, "and Henry is too."

After of moment of staring at each other Emma asks, "What do you want?"

Regina is irked by Miss Swan's bluntness, but tries not to let Emma see or sense her anger. Instead she holds up the apple and offers it to her. Emma takes the apple with a "Hmph" and puts it down on the nearest desk.

Emma is aware that she's pushing Regina's buttons. She doesn't care, well, she's actually taking some pleasure in doing it. 

"Glad you are both well," Regina begins, "I would like to chat with you again tonight."

"Can't," the blonde replies while nodding her head.

"You can bring Henry. He'd be quite content playing in his room while we talk downstairs."

"I'll think about it," Emma replies. They've still got their pupils locked on each other. 

"I'll fix dinner," Regina adds, knowing it's like an Achilles' heel to Emma, " so don't take too long to decide." 

"Is that all?" Emma pushes the conversation along.

"For now, yes, Miss Swan," the Mayor replies.

"Why do you call me "Miss" Swan when we are in public - or even in this office, for that matter?" Emma asks and adds "You want me to address you as "Madam Mayor" in public. I prefer "Sheriff Swan".

"There's no one in this office beside the two of us right now, _Sheriff Swan_ ," Regina retorts, "Is that better?"

"With just the two of us then, don't you think we are past the whole Miss Swan - Mayor Mills point?" Emma's irritation at the false formality obvious.

"I am just being civil," Regina defends.

"No. It's condescending," Emma continues.

"Fine. Perhaps _you_ can teach _me_ how to be polite." Regina's sarcasm evident.

"I'm just saying it's as if you don't acknowledge my position of Sheriff in this town and my position as a friend in our personal relationship."

"Friend? Personal relationship?" Regina's eyebrows raise in mock surprise.

"Because of Henry you and I have had to work together. I am your friend Regina, and, yes, we have a personal relationship - especially after last night."

Regina sighs with resignation. "I am not accustomed to having friends, _Emma,_ and after last night I suppose you're right. I spoke to you as woman to woman and not as Henry's mother."

"Well then, _Regina_ , I've got work to do. Have a good day." Emma finally breaks the staring contest by looking away and walking over to her desk.

The Mayor walks back to the door and says "You have a good day too. _Emma._ " as she exits the office.

Emma looks down at her desk, not really looking at anything, just lost for a minute inside her head. She wonders if she really wants to get to know Regina more than she already does. _I am NOT going to eat that apple._

She refills her big white coffee cup and then busies herself with a little paperwork, mainly approving a requisition for supplies her dad wrote up.

Pushing herself away from the desk, she walks over to the coat rack and takes her own jacket and crème-colored knit scarf off of it. Putting them on she reaches for the door. There's a slight breeze rolling down the street. Emma wraps the scarf a second time around her neck. She walks with determination, authority. She notices how empty the streets are despite the handful of people on the sidewalks and a couple of vehicles driving in opposite directions. Just thinking about the chaos of downtown Boston makes the smallness and quietness of Storybrooke even more so. A bit of nostalgia for bean-town tugs at her heart. In the next moment she thinks of Henry and she knows she is in the right place. Her newfound love for her son wraps up not only her heart but her whole body in warmth and happiness. A grin unconsciously forms and her green eyes twinkle. _Love you kid._

Emma becomes aware of someone about a half-block behind her and closing in. She stops and turns immediately recognizing Captain Hook, on approach. 

"Good morning Emma!," he says with a broad and hopeful smile, "Nice to see you again."

Smiling back, she replies, "Good morning to you too Killian."

He moves in closer to give her a quick kiss.

Pulling away he says "I thought you might be avoiding me." After a brief pause he continues, "You didn’t return my call from earlier today. I was hoping we might have our date tonight. You and me. Alone together? Remember your promise?"

Emma takes a breath and calmly replies, "I haven’t forgotten Killian. It’s just that I’ve got Henry this week and we were just with my, um, parents yesterday. I wouldn’t feel right leaving Henry with them again so soon." She still gets a bit upset when she recalls that she felt closer to Snow when they were friends. _Why can't parents be friends?_ She frets that the day will come too soon when Henry sees her more as a parent and less as a friend.

Clearly disappointed, he decides to not press the issue. Yet.

"Must be strange for you," Killian muses, "having parents who are about the same age you are."

"Yep." She glances down and idly kicks a leaf with her boot.

"May I walk with you?" Hook looks at her with puppy dog eyes.

Emma recalls what Regina told her last night.

The pirate extends his hand and Emma takes it.

“Where are you headed?” he asks.

Without looking at him, the sheriff answers, “I am walking a beat.”

“Hate to admit it Swan but I’ve no idea what you mean.” He keeps up with her stride but turns to face her.

She doesn’t turn to face him but observes the storefronts, cars and people out and about. “As a peace officer – as the Town’s Sheriff – I am doing a visual check on folks by walking the streets and ensuring that no-one’s breaking the law or in danger.”

“Don’t you do that in the squad car when you go on patrol?” He finds that he is also looking around now to see what could possibly catch her interest instead of him.

She stops walking and replies, “I do that as well, but often you can see more when you’re moving at a slower pace. It also gives me a chance to say hello to people and let them know I’m here looking out for them.”

“Ah, I see.” He nods and then changes the topic. “So, um, exactly when were you thinking we can have our night out?”

“Not sure – maybe Friday or Saturday?” she offers him.

“Going to make me suffer without you until then eh?” the disappointment is dripping off his words.

"Actually I need to do something alone," she looks intently back into his gaze, “Back at the office.” It is said with such finality that Hook's body posture takes a step back even if his booted feet don't.

A moment hangs while they just stare at each other.

"Well I guess I'll leave you to it then," Killian finally responds, "but promise me that you'll call me later?" His intonation lets her know that any response other than yes is unacceptable. "Later _today_ I mean."

"I promise."

Hook turns on his heel and walks back in the direction he came from. Emma watches his receding back for a few seconds and then turns around. _Hmmm he is stalking me_.

Back at the Sheriff's office, Emma sees a notice that another young boy is missing. The second one in as many days. 

Things have actually been pretty boring lately. She can hardly wait until her shift is over so she can pick up Henry from school. She fidgets around the office and then decides to go out on patrol. Maybe a leisurely drive around the town will soothe her restlessness.

When the patrol car reaches the town line and the memorable "Leaving Storybrooke" sign, she pulls off onto the shoulder of the road. There is only the one road leading into and out of Storybrooke. No through traffic. No one would come here if they weren't deliberately planning a visit to the town. It is on an isolated thumb of a peninsula that is just south of Acadia National Park. Storybrooke is too far off the highway to Bar Harbor in the north and Portland in the south for anyone to be interested in taking a detour. She stares at the line on the road and it reminds her of how the barrier has changed since the day she and Henry drove into town in her little yellow bug several years ago. Back then if you were from the Enchanted Forest and crossed the line you would lose your memories. Now if you cross the line – regardless of what world you’re from – you can’t get back in. Ingrid’s so-called protection spell saw to that. No one across the line can even see the town let alone enter it. Except that Elsa did. She had a magic scroll that allowed her to see and enter Storybrooke from the ‘Land Without Magic’. 

Belle locked that scroll up in Gold’s pawnshop – along with the Dark One’s Dagger – after banishing Rumple from town. She chuckles as she thinks it’s a good thing for everyone that no-one _actually wants_ to leave town. Besides, with Killian and Belle trying to find out how to release the fairies trapped in the Sorcerer’s Hat and Henry, Regina and she looking for the Author, they could all do with a bit less drama in town. With Gold outside of town and the fairies who knows where, there are only two people in Storybrooke capable of magic: Regina and herself. That's it. And as far as she knows, neither of them is using magic anymore. 

Emma debates what to do tonight. Fix dinner for her and Henry? _No_. Take Henry to Granny's for dinner? _Maybe_. Ask Killian if he wants to have dinner at Granny's with her and Henry? _Possibly, but not really feeling up to seeing Hook so soon again._ Take Henry to Regina's for dinner? _Hmmm. Yeah, Probably. Henry still has some form of Operation Mongoose going on and, really, it would be nice if Regina could have her happy ending._

By the time Sheriff Swan does get back to the office it's almost time to pick up Henry. Emma is tries not to think of the two missing boys but she's not having any success. Picking up her phone she shoots off a quick text to Henry "Love you kid. On my way."


	9. Wednesday night, Storybrooke

Henry runs up the path to Regina’s front door and opens it with his key.

“Henry wait! You just can’t let yourself in like that!” Emma calls after him while rushing to catch up.

“Why not?” he asks and then states “I live here.” The blonde gives an eye-roll and begins saying “We are Regina’s dinner guests tonight. You should have –“

Henry’s already inside and Regina’s face appears in the doorway, “Welcome Sheriff Swan” she smiles. “Please do come in.”

Emma follows Regina into the kitchen and the aroma of dinner is overwhelming – in a good way. “I hope you like garlic” the brunette says “Otherwise we’ll have to call out for pizza.” Henry exclaims “You made that dish tonight? No way are we having pizza!” The blonde follows her nose to the source. “I happen to _love_ garlic so we’re good. What is this? Chicken? ” Regina corrects her “not just chicken. It’s Roasted Garlic Basil Chicken with Baby Red Potatoes and Asparagus.” She walks over to the wine cabinet and after a minute perusing her choices pulls out a white, “Emma, would you mind taking this and a couple wine glasses (she points to the cabinet containing them) into the dining room? I’ll bring the main course; everything else is already on the table.” 

Between Henry and Emma eating like they had been starving, there isn’t much dinnertime conversation. Regina suggests that they let dinner digest before having dessert. Henry immediately asks “What’s for dessert?” His mom tells him it’s Tiramisu and he licks his lips. Emma asks “Tira-what? I don’t think I’ve had it before. What is it?” The brunette gives her a tight-lipped smile, “Well you’ll just have to wait and find out.” Turning to her son Regina asks him, “Would you mind keeping yourself busy for a little bit while Emma and I have a private chat?” He narrows his eyes at her “A private chat about what? Does it have to do with Operation Mongoose? If it does shouldn’t I be in on it?” She replies, “First, young man, it doesn’t have to do with locating the author. Second, it wouldn’t be a private chat if I told you what it was about. I’ll let you know when I serve up dessert.” Henry looks seriously at her, “You know, you don’t have to keep secrets from me. I don’t like not knowing what’s going on.” Regina assures him “It’s just woman talk – You wouldn’t enjoy it.” “Uh, okay” he relents as he goes into the living room.

“How about we go into my study?” Emma nods and follows Regina into the vestibule. The brunette walks over to a table set against the wall with a decanter of whiskey and glasses on it, she pours about two shots in each tumbler and hands Emma one as she returns. Regina leads Emma into her study on the left of the entry. Emma vaguely recalls the room from her first brief visit to the house when she returned Henry from Boston. One wall is floor to ceiling with books. At the far end is a tall narrow window with a small writing desk immediately below it. There are a couple of dark nicely crafted wooden chairs facing a small lit fireplace that bathes the room in its warmth. Regina stands behind the chair closest to the desk, her free hand resting on its back. 

"Please sit," she instructs Emma while pointing with her glass to the other chair. The blonde does as instructed. Regina settles herself into the other chair, crosses her knees, and makes sure her dress is properly in place. She brings her hands to rest on her knees, the one hand holding the whiskey glass. 

The blonde takes a drink and asks "What did you want to do tonight Regina? Talk about meeting handsome, eligible men?"

"You left out 'intelligent', Emma. _Intelligent_ and handsome."

"Actually," Regina continues after a beat, "we should take advantage of the fact that I arranged for a sitter tonight."

Emma sits up straighter and gives the brunette a surprised look, “What? You got a sitter for Henry? Why? That’s a bit manipulative of you, wouldn’t you say?”

Regina calmly replies “Yes I suppose so. Ruby’s coming over at 8:30 to keep Henry company. I wasn’t trying to coerce you into doing something you don’t want to do.”

The blonde gives her a crooked smile, “And just what does Madame Mayor have in mind?”

The brunette clears her throat and answers “After dessert I was hoping that you and I could go out to that bar.”

Emma’s eyes go wide "The Rabbit Hole?"

"Yes. It is the only bar in town isn't it? Ghastly name." Regina goes to take another swallow of her whiskey.

Emma is silent for a moment and then shyly inquires, "Are you asking me out on a _date_?"

The brunette’s expression changes to shock and she almost spews her mouthful of drink. “Of course not! I just want to see the ‘singles scene’ in action. Maybe learn some dating technique.” 

The blonde smiles, “Well okay then I guess. Won’t Henry wonder where we’ve gone off to?”

Regina relaxes. “I’ll just tell Henry we need to go out for a bit.”

She stands and offers to take the blonde's now empty glass. As she sets the glasses down she states “I’ll drive.”

They walk out of the study and into the kitchen. Regina pulls the Tiramisu from the refrigerator and calls out “Henry! Time for dessert!”

Naturally Henry wants to know where they are going but Regina finally ends up telling him that they are just going out and not to be so nosy.

  
It's about 9 when they reach the bar. The darkness inside the bar is almost the same as the darkness outside it. The women head to a table near the bar and get seated. The bartender comes up to the table for their drink order.

"I'm sure you don't have King George V but how about Johnny Walker Blue Label?" Regina asks. The bartender nods a "no."

"Gold Label?" Another negative.

"Black?" He says "yes".

Regina turns to Emma, "Thank god."

"Bacardi on the rocks," Emma orders.

"Ugh. Rum," the brunette comments, "Let us hope Hook's taste hasn't rubbed off on you."

"Let's not talk about him tonight okay?" Emma requests.

"As you wish," the former Queen demurs.

Regina looks around and says "This is depressing. The bar is holding up a couple drunks and the only other men in here are the ones playing pool on the far side of the room."

"Things should start picking up soon. Bars don't really get into full swing until closer to 10." Emma re-assures her.

"When was the last time you were in Boston Regina?"

"When I got - oh wait, it was when I went to _return_ Henry."

"Return?" Emma looks shocked.

"Let me tell you a little story," Regina begins.

An hour later three couples, several more men and a couple other single ladies are in the bar. The jukebox is playing. There's a hint of pipe smoke coming from the back near the pool table. The Evil Queen and the Savior had been drinking and sharing stories with each other, not noticing the minutes slip by.

Regina looks around again when the waiter comes by the table with their drinks.

As soon as he walks away from the table, she turns to the blonde and leans closer to ask "Do you think they are avoiding us?"

"They might be afraid of us," Emma offers, "I mean I'm the Sheriff and you're the Mayor. Could be intimidating. Oh, and everyone in town knows we've got powerful mojo."

Regina raises an eyebrow. "What is 'mojo' if I may ask?"

The blonde smiles. "It's slang for 'magic', Madame Mayor."

The brunette lifts and drops her shoulder and says "It sounds more like a mixed drink my dear."

Michael Jackson's "Bad" comes up on the jukebox and a couple take to the tiny dance floor.

"What the hell are they doing?" Regina asks disdainfully as she watches them undulate, stomp, slide and shake.

"When's the last time you danced Regina?" Emma answers with disbelief.

"Something dignified I assure you. I do ballroom dancing."

Emma chuckles, "Oh my god, you are _so_ medieval."

She stands and walks over to pull out Regina's chair.

"What are you doing?" Regina gives Emma a worried look.

"Giving you a dance lesson."

Fortunately they've each had a few drinks by now and the shields of inhibition have been lowered.

Regina tries mimicking Emma's moves. She feels silly but it feels really good. Plus she loves saying "I'm bad!" The song is almost over before the former Queen gets the hang of it. "More!" she calls out. It's too late and the song that's started is Roberta Flack's "Set the Night to Music". 

She and Emma stand motionless on the dance floor, "Well?" she asks. 

Regina points to the couple now slow-dancing, "Aren't you going to teach me that too?"

Emma lets out a sigh and steps gently to Regina. She lifts the brunette's right hand to her shoulder and slips her own left arm around Regina's waist. Then she takes the brunette's left hand and holds it in her right. "Just close your eyes and try to move with me to the music."

"This seems awfully intimate," Regina mumbles against Emma's shoulder. She feels her heart beating and Emma's warmth. The blonde also has her eyes closed and is moving gently with the rhythm. She can hardly believe she's slow dancing with the "Evil Queen". She grins.

The music switches to a rock song and they exit the dance floor.

"This was a mission unaccomplished," Regina says as she sits back down.

"Hey! Are you saying my dance lessons suck?"

"Rest assured my dear, they were the highlight of the evening."

Emma is not sure she believes her.

"Let's pay the bill and go," Regina waves the waitress over. "It's a good thing I'm leaving town tomorrow morning."

"Afraid of gossip and stares?"

"Me? Are you kidding?? I'm not afraid of the ignorant masses."

Emma sobers. _You're afraid of being alone._

They get into Regina’s Mercedes and the brunette notices the blonde staring intently at her. “What? Are you going to give me a ticket for drunk driving?”

“I probably should,” Emma says, “but I’m in no condition to drive either. Maybe we should ask Ruby if she can get us.”

Regina pushes her palms against the steering wheel and back against her seat before grumbling her consent. “She’ll be discreet right?”

“Actually Regina, everyone that was in the bar since we showed up knows we were there.”

It suddenly hits Emma, “Oh shit! Killian is going to find out!”

“So he’ll find out,” the brunette says, “will that be a problem?”

Emma shakes her head, “Big time. What was I thinking?! He’s expecting to go on a date with me Friday and now… Fuck.”

“I’m sure the one-handed wonder will be understanding” Regina says tongue-in-cheek.

The blonde glares at her, “Please stop with the snarky comments. He already thinks I’m avoiding him and this will only add fuel to that fire.”

Regina raises her eyebrows “ _Are_ you avoiding him?”

Emma scoffs at that “I wish. Maybe. He’s gotten really…um…clingy? Lately. I wouldn’t doubt it if he followed me here.”

Regina turns to her and places a hand on her shoulder. She looks into the blonde’s eyes and says “That is reprehensible. Surely even _he_ wouldn’t stoop that low.”

Shaking her head Emma sighs “I sure hope not… Let me go ahead and give Ruby a call.”

The brunette drops her hand from Emma’s shoulder and looks out the window. _I sure hope that pirate isn’t stalking her._ The Evil Queen is mentally conjuring fireballs to blast him with.


	10. Thursday Morning Storybrooke

There's more of a chill in the air this morning. It's not raining right now but the ground's wet from earlier. Large patches of bold blue sky and scattered white puffy clouds hang almost motionless overhead. It smells of damp earth with the slightest hint of saltiness. A beautiful clear cool day is in the making. Emma's right boot splashes in a small puddle on the road as she crosses the street. Her hands are in the pockets of her brown leather fleece-lined jacket. Her faded denim jeans cling to her body and her calves are wrapped in knee-high dark brown leather boots. They have short thick sturdy heels and are probably just as good for either riding a horse or riding a motorcycle. She’s had them for years and lovingly calls them her “shit-kickers”. Her long straight light blonde hair had been brushed out before leaving her loft this morning but all it took was one small gust of wind earlier to whip it around from her back to over her shoulders. Emma's eyes are blue rather than green or gray today as they reflect this morning’s bright blue sky. Long eyelashes provide a little shade for those eyes as she gazes up to the roof-lines of the buildings bordering Main Street. 

Sheriff Swan unlocks the front door of her red brick office building and walks over to one of two jail cells. Leroy is sound asleep on the narrow bed frame and thin mattress. He is snoring into the wall. Fortunately he's not being too loud about it and the blonde decides to let him continue. Leroy's become a regular tenant of that cell. He's not a happy fellow to begin with but if he's had a few too many drinks he's likely to start a brawl – which seems to happen at least once a week. 

Emma's mind drifts as she looks at Leroy's back. It was only a few years ago she arrived in Storybrooke. Up until recently there was one huge problem after another involving villains, heroes, portals, curses, swords, daggers, spells, monsters – you name it. The last few weeks have been peaceful. That peace had brought a small ray of hope that everything will work out fine. Nonetheless, the town's Sheriff is wary. She’s afraid to get her hopes up too high – frightened that some projectile will pierce her dreams and they’ll fall back to the ground shattered. She's still a bit cynical about the past and distrustful about the future but she is cautiously enjoying this period of quiet in which she can relax a little and feel "normal". She’s trying to live her life one day at a time. Tomorrow is about as far as her horizon stretches. Grumpy snorts and turns and pulls Emma's mind back into the present.

She wraps a strong long-fingered hand around her telephone handset, lifts it, and when she hears the dial tone decides not to call Killian after all. She just knows he will be demanding that she commit to a date with him Friday night. Emma’s surprised he hasn’t called or left a message already this morning – especially if he’d gotten wind of what she and Regina were up to last night. For a minute she tries to imagine the three of them as a normal family but it doesn’t seem possible. Apart from showing Henry some knot-tying, sailing and gambling tips there's not much else for Killian to share with her son that wouldn’t be R-rated. Hook has no interest in baseball, basketball or football - any sports actually. He doesn't seem to be interested in anything except for Emma. Even when Killian is helping someone, Emma can't help feeling that he is in it for himself. That he either wants to impress her with his thoughtfulness or use it as leverage for a favor he'll call in. 

Right now Killian Jones is presumably working with Belle on trying to come up with a way to free the fairies from the Sorcerer's Hat. Of course they wouldn't be trapped in there if Hook hadn't been under Gold's control at the time. Oh yeah, he wouldn't have been under Gold's thumb if he hadn't threatened Gold by saying he’d tell Belle that the Dark One’s dagger she had was a fake. If Emma thought about it long enough she could recall several instances where Killian proved to be a liability rather than an asset. Hook was selfish, in love with her and stubborn. His desire to have her is as big a weakness as his love for himself. _Why am I even with this narcissist?_

The Sheriff brings up the police alerts on her computer. She scrolls through them until "MISSING CHILD - Portland, ME" comes up. It happened late last night. That's the first disappearance in Maine and the third missing boy aged 9 to 12 where the only clue is an open window on an upper floor. Emma rests her cleft chin in the palm of her left hand and taps the desktop with the clean and short-trimmed nails of her right. She reviews the photos and the details, what little there is of them, for each missing boy. Not only are the circumstances uncannily similar but the disappearances are moving north along the coast from Boston to Portland. _Something unusual is going on here._ Emma picks up her phone again, this time calling Regina.

"Mayor Mills," Regina says coolly.

"Regina, it's -"

"Sheriff Swan." the brunette completes the sentence.

"I'd like to discuss something with you," Emma continues.

"Okay" and when there’s a pause on the other end, Regina continues, "Yes… I'm listening but I’m not hearing."

"I'd really rather talk about this in person," the blonde responds.

"You want me to come _there_?" The Mayor’s annoyance is evident.

"I would except that Leroy's here in a cell. I'd prefer we talk in private."

"Then how about you come over to my office?" the Mayor suggests.

"When?"

"Now is fine." With that statement, Regina hangs up.

Emma looks at the phone in her hand with a combination of disbelief and irritation. "Fine."

The Sheriff looks back at her slumbering prisoner. She picks up the phone again and asks her dad to cover for her in case Leroy wakes up before she gets back.

It's a quick drive over to the Storybrooke Town Hall. Emma walks up to the Mayor's closed door and gives it two light knocks.

"Enter." Is all Regina says.

When the Sheriff opens the door, the Mayor looks up from where she is seated behind her desk. Dark eyes examine the tall blonde standing in the doorway with her hand still on the knob. Regina’s expression is unreadable and cool. Her black hair falls free to her shoulders and curves at the ends. Apart from the obvious stare, Emma’s expression is open but impartial. The long moment is broken when the Mayor stands, revealing a simple sleeveless black dress belted at the waist. The blonde releases the doorknob and strides forward as Regina says “Sheriff Swan. Please have a seat.” The brunette’s lips curve slightly, a little higher up on the left, even white teeth exposed. Emma responds with a small tight-lipped grin. She simply says “Thank you” as both of them sit.

“What can I do for you Sheriff?” Regina begins, her dark eyes lightening a bit, her smile lingering.

“There is something odd happening and I think magic might be involved,” Emma starts out.

“They do tend to go hand-in-hand dear.”

“Let me finish,” Emma says with a hint of irritation.

“Very well” Regina makes a dismissive gesture with her hand. The blonde sees a flash of nail color matching the Mayor’s burgundy red lips. “By all means please continue.”

“Since last Sunday night, three boys have disappeared, the only clue is an open window” the Sheriff says quickly, “And whoever is doing this has moved north into Maine.”

“These events are not happening in Storybrooke.” The Mayor states conclusively, “So they do not concern us.”

Emma is surprised at Regina’s nonchalance. “But what if someone is using magic to abduct these boys? What if it happens in Storybrooke next?”

“While I’m curious about who might be able to use magic in the outside world,” the Mayor answers, “as long as whoever it may be stays outside of this town, there is nothing to be done.”

Regina raises her hand to stop Emma from interjecting. “Thanks to Ingrid, our town is cloaked in a protection spell – no one can see us and no-one can enter.”

“Regina, please think about this for a minute. Remember how we felt when Henry was kidnapped? So far three families are experiencing that same agony and there are no ransoms requested and no leads.

It’s obvious to the Mayor that Emma is on a roll so Regina doesn’t interrupt.

“Pan’s shadow was able to cross into the world-without-magic and abduct children. If the kidnapper is capable of using magic in the outside world what makes you so sure they can’t get past the protection spell?

“Stop. Stop right there Miss Swan.” Regina puts both of her hands up and then places her palms on her desk and pushes herself up to a standing position. Leaning over her desk she looks down at Emma. The blonde is steely-eyed watching the brunette’s move.

“How dare you presume that I have no feelings about this!” The Mayor continues, “Once again you have succeeded in ruining my otherwise pleasant day.”

Emma stands so Regina is forced to look across from her rather than down at her.

“I think we have to look into this Regina,” the Sheriff replies barely holding her emotions in check, “We _need_ to make sure _our_ children are safe. We have a responsibility to determine if magic is involved and put a stop to it.”

“Well it is clear to see that you have decided on my behalf,” the Mayor says as she sits back down.

Emma sits back down as well.

“Just what is it you suggest we do?” Regina asks once the air is less tense.

“I think we should find out as much about the cases as we can. We need to rule magic out.”

Regina responds “You do realize the FBI will be all over these investigations right? The fewer people who know about us, the better.”

“Yes,” the blonde answers, “I agree with you - the fewer the better.”

After a moment of silent thought, the Sheriff breaks the quiet, “I recall that the Boston police investigator on the first case is a woman. Maybe we should start with her.”

“You want to call her?” the brunette suggests.

“I think a face-to-face would be better. Boston isn’t _that_ far.”

“Okay then. When do you leave?” Mayor Mills asks.

“I wasn`t thinking me” Emma responds.

“Me?” Both Regina’s eyebrows rise. “Why?”

“Because of the two of us, you are a lot more familiar with magic than I am. You’d have a better idea what to look for.”

Regina scoffs, “You haven’t got some plot to exile me from Storybrooke up your sleeve?”

“Of course not!” Emma defends.

“How will I get back in?” Regina counters.

“Take the scroll with you.”

“Ah yes, the scroll that has yet to be tested.”

“It worked for Elsa. Do you have any reason to believe it wouldn’t work for you?” Emma asks.

“No. But I’d rather know for a fact that it does.”

“Regina, there is no way we’d prevent you from returning.”

“When you say “we” you must be referring to only you and Henry. I’m sure the rest of the town would think otherwise.”

“Trust me Regina. You won’t be stranded.”

“My immediate reaction to being told “Trust me” is quite the opposite.”

“You’ve got to trust someone sometime,” Emma encourages her.

“I suppose.” The Mayor lets out a heavy sigh before she concedes, “Okay. Give me the contact information for this detective in Boston.”

“I’ll need to call you with it.”

Sensing the conversation is over for now, both of them stand again. The Sheriff is doing her best to show her appreciation “Thank you Regina. I promise you won’t regret it.”

The brunette grudgingly concedes “That remains to be seen. Sheriff Swan.”

When Emma returns to the Sheriff’s station David is there and Leroy is gone. David walks over to his daughter and wraps her in a bear hug, “Hi Dad” Emma says with her chin on his shoulder. “Was Grumpy difficult?”

Her father laughs, “When is he not?” That gets a nod and chuckle of agreement from Emma.

She decides not to share her concerns and conversation with Regina about the missing boys with her father. After David is out the door, the Sheriff brings up the Missing Child Alert for the Bonadetti boy. She locates the main number for the Boston Police Department and calls the Mayor. 

"May I speak with Detective Rizzoli?" Regina is transferred to another line and surprised when a woman picks up and, in a husky voice, simply says "Rizzoli". Regina feels that she might like this person of so few words.

"Detective Rizzoli. This is Mayor Mills of Storybrooke Maine. I'd like to meet with you concerning an investigation of yours."

"Fine, I'll be here until 5pm," Jane quickly responds and then adds, "Which investigation?"

"Well Detective, I'm in Maine and I can't be there by 5. Secondly, it has to do with the missing boys."

Jane looks like she'd been punched in the nose, her eyes open wider than they've been in a week.

"Okay" Jane reaches for a pen a paper, "when were you thinking of coming by?"

"Tomorrow morning. I'll drive down first thing."

"So when do you think you'll be here?" Jane asks.

Regina realizes it's about a 3 hour drive. _Isn't far my ass!_ She was snookered by Swan. 

"I think I'll get into Boston around 11."

As soon as Regina hangs up with Detective Rizzoli she calls Sheriff Swan.

"You tricked me into a 6 hour roundtrip drive."

Emma thinks about it a second and replies, "Oops, guess you're right. It's farther than I remembered."

"Probably because Henry's been with you to keep you company."

Emma looks down guiltily at the coffee cup in her hand and takes a drink.

"You're still going right?"

"Yes. I'll go," Regina says with annoyance, "but believe me I'll remember what you talked me into."

Emma’s silence prompts the Mayor to continue "I may as well do some shopping while I'm out. My wardrobe could use a new addition or two."

The blonde asks, "Did you find out anything more over the phone?"

"About the missing boys? No. We just agreed that I'd meet with the detective around 11."

Regina pauses and then resumes, "The detective has a very sexy voice."

Emma raises an eyebrow, "Sexy?"

"It's husky, low. I like the way it sounds. Can't wait to see what she looks like."

"Well don't think she'll look anywhere as good as she sounds. I was excited to meet a disc jockey whose radio-voice I really liked. He reminded me of a frog."

Regina lets out a small laugh, "Frogs aren't necessarily frogs where we come from."


	11. Later Thursday Morning in Boston

Soon as Jane enters Maura's office she exclaims "Whoa! Stinky poo! What the _hell_ is that smell?" The detective pinches off her nose "Did some animal die in your office?"

Maura sits behind her desk. She moves her hands to her lap and sheepishly looks down at them. Timidly she says "Nothing died in here that I know of. I had flatulence."

"You farted!!!" Jane exclaims momentarily releasing her nostrils, and "Oh my god, where is the press when you need them!" Maura gives her an extremely annoyed and disappointed look. The brunette seals off her nostrils again, "I'll call you!" Then she's out the door and out of sight in a flash. Maura rolls her eyes. _After all these years she just happens to catch my_ one _office fart._

Within a minute Dr Isles' phone rings.

"Hello Jane," she says evenly.

"How'd you know it was me?" The detective jokes, "You could come up here for a breath of fresh air."

"Who you talking to?" Frankie asks. Maura overhears and sternly tells Jane "Don't you _dare!_ "

"Dr. Isles," Jane says to her brother, "you know how disgusting those smells in autopsy can get."

"Yeah, I hear you." Detective Frankie gets back to his work.

"I wanted to tell you that there's another boy missing" Jane continues her conversation with Maura "In Maine, in a town called Bath. It's just up the coast from Portland. Middle of the night. Open upper story window. No one heard or saw a thing."

"Oh no Jane," There's sadness in her voice "I take it the Boston PD and FBI still have nothing?"

"Zip, zippo, nada." Jane responds with frustration. "Oh that reminds me! I got a call late yesterday from the Mayor of a tiny town in Maine - I mean I couldn't even find it on the map. She said she wanted to drive down to Boston and meet with me. Said it had to do with the missing boys."

"That's strange. What information could she have? Why a Mayor? Shouldn't she contact the FBI or Maine State Police instead?" Dr. Isles asks with extreme curiosity.

"To answer your questions, I don't know, I don't know and I don't know. She figured she'd be here around 11. You're welcome to join us. Then maybe we grab lunch after?"

"That sounds like a great idea Jane. Give a call when you're ready?"

"I'll do better than that. We'll stop by your office - that is, of course, if that horrible odor is gone!"

Belle and the Mayor made a replica of the protection-shield-piercing spell before Regina left Storybrooke. Regina has original scroll locked in the glove box of her Mercedes Benz as she approaches the big city. She left Storybrooke at precisely the time she needed to in order to make it into downtown Boston by 11. The weather and scenery had been pleasant enough but the hours dragged past. The Mayor took a brief pit stop in Portland for fuel and her first ever McCafe from the fast food chain across the gas station's parking lot. She refused to use the ladies room at either facility. _The very idea of a Mayor, let alone a Queen, stooping so low!_ When she got back to her car she was infuriated by the cost of filling up her fuel tank. Prices in Storybrooke stayed the same for 28 years and haven’t near caught up to the rest of the world.

As she drives into the city, someone honks their horn behind her and she glares into the rear view mirror. It is quickly followed by another couple horns from different directions. Regina had forgotten how terrible traffic in Boston was. What she'd give for just a wisp of magic right then. Finally she locates an available parking space not far from the Boston Police Department headquarters. She allows herself a crooked smile while inserting the quarters into the parking meter. She'd thought ahead to bring along a roll of them just in case. She walks majestically along the sidewalk, "nipples to the sky" she recalls her mother saying. Then up a few steps that lead to a couple green and glass double doors below the building's signage.

Once inside the Mayor is directed to a security checkpoint. She's offended by it but she keeps her ruffled feathers to herself and observes people going through the device ahead of her. Regina reluctantly places her handbag on the conveyor and walks through the arch of the scanner. The guard on the other side halts her saying "You'll need to remove your jewelry ma'am." She resists the urge to day "That's _Madam Mayor_ to you" and takes off her modest gold and emerald ring, her gold watch and teardrop earrings. After walking through the second time she retrieves her bag and valuables and makes her way to the information desk.

"I am here to see Detective Rizzoli," she tells the uniformed woman behind the counter, "Mayor Mills."

"Which Detective Rizzoli?" the officer asks.

"There's more than one?" surprise registers in Regina's voice and face.

"Yes. Jane or Frank?"

"Jane. She should be expecting me," Regina glances down at her watch, "right about now."

"If you'll please have a seat, I'll let her know you are here."

The erstwhile Queen sits on an upright chair against a wall with a half dozen chairs just like it lined up. She picks a chair that places several empty ones between herself and some man that looks like a drunk and bedraggled peasant. After a couple minutes she sees a tall woman with long black hair in what looks like a man's light grey suit come around a corner. The woman walks like a man and wears low-heeled plain black leather shoes or boots - she can't tell which. Regina's eyes follow the shoes up long legs to the circular buckle of a belt, past a royal blue shirt up to a face accented by dark eyes that almost match her own and are staring boldly down right at her from a couple feet away. 

The woman speaks, "You must be Mayor Mills". A huge smile spreads across her face and takes Regina by surprise. Regina stands up and politely extends her hand. Jane does likewise and her hand practically wraps around the mayor's. "Detective Jane Rizzoli," the handshake is a singularly firm one."Pleased to meet you Detective," the mayor replies with a beautiful smile of her own. The detective walks over to the information counter and a minute later returns with a visitor's badge. "Here," Jane says handing the badge to her, "you'll need to put it someplace visible while you're here. Follow me."

As Regina follows the detective to the elevator she can't help feeling a little like she's seen this woman before. The height, the length of her hair, the ways she's walking, the grin, even the detective's chin seems oddly familiar. Then it hits her. _Emma_. _There are more things physically alike between Detective Rizzoli and Sheriff Swan than are different._ Just before they step into the elevator a man casts a look of appreciation a them. As the door closes, Regina thinks it must be for the tall striking woman beside her. The detective suspects it's for the perfectly dressed attractive woman with the full lips at her side. It doesn't take long for elevator to stop and Jane indicates to the mayor that this is their exit. They walk down a hallway that has glass panels from the waist up. There are three metal long metal tables inside.

"Is this a" Regina begins to ask.

"Autopsy Lab," Jane finishes, "Yes, I'm sorry but I promised our Chief Medical Examiner I'd introduce you plus she has nicest private office in the entire building." The detective continues, "I really didn't want to talk with you in an interrogation room."

"I appreciate that," the mayor smiles, "but why would your Medical Examiner want to meet me?"

"Ask her yourself," Jane says as she stands in Dr. Isles open doorway. Maura gets to her feet and immediately gives them one of the warmest sincere and welcome smiles that Regina has ever felt.

Maura quickly moves out in front of her desk as Jane and Regina enter.

"Madame Mayor," Dr. Isles addresses her guest, bends forward and extends a hand that's almost identical in size and shape to Regina's, "it is a pleasure to meet you." The mayor is happily impressed with the doctor's proper salutation. "The pleasure is mine Doctor -"

"Isles." Maura assists. "Please have a seat." She motions to the small couch in the office.

Jane remains standing and observes the two shorter more dignified women seat themselves in a very ladylike fashion on the sofa. From the detective's vantage point she's in an excellent position to compare and contrast the Chief ME with the small town Mayor.

The detective begins with "We - Dr. Isles and I - were wondering why you came all the way to Boston to speak with me instead of going to the FBI or even the Maine State Police?" Regina notices how distinctive Jane's eyebrows are and that they are now knitting together and causing small furrows in her forehead as she asks the question. 

"I realize it seems illogical to you," Regina responds looking at the detective and ME in turn, "but I didn't want to involve those authorities if what information I might have turns out irrelevant to their investigation. I wanted to know more about the disappearances first to see if I would be able to offer any assistance."

Jane leans towards the Mayor, "Just what information do you think you _might_ have to offer?" 

Regina is not the least bit intimidated by the detective moving into her personal space and looks back with confidence. "I am wondering if you noticed anything at all _unusual_ that may have not made it into the official reports or been shared over the inter-agency interstate system."

Maura's eyes widen but Jane is unfazed. Nonetheless she takes a second to glance at Dr. Isles. Jane removes her thumbs from the edges of her pants pockets and crosses her arms, hands cupping her elbows, "As you already know, what the missing children have in common is that they are all boys, they disappeared in the middle of the night, their bedrooms were on upper floors and their bedroom windows were wide open. None of the neighbors noticed a damn thing. Nobody's contacted the parents for a ransom. That seems like a hell of a lot of _unusual_ to me. On top of that _another_ boy was reporting missing this morning from a town called Bath up your way."

The mayor raises an eyebrow when she hears Bath. "Bath is along the coast about halfway between Storybrooke and Portland."

Jane drops her arms to her sides, "It seems you are looking for something even more unusual than all that. What is _it_?"

The mayor braces herself, prepares to be escorted from the Police Department as an eccentric woman, but she has to know for sure. Who knew if the perpetrator of these abductions wasn't involved in magic?

"Do recall anyone mentioning anything about a shadow?"

Now the detective's and medical examiner's eyes widen and their faces a little slack-jawed. Jane regains her composure quicker than Maura does. If the ME hadn't told the detective about the missing shadow phenomenon, Jane would have immediately thought the mayor had a screw loose. However her faith in Maura's knowledge and integrity make her take this shadow question to heart.

For a minute no-one says anything. Regina knows she struck a chord. Jane looks at the two very intelligent and accomplished women on the couch. As far as the jewelry, clothing and shoes go they could easily swap. They probably wear the same size. The detective begins "No-one we questioned said anything about a shadow" Jane looks to Maura to continue.

The medical examiner clears her throat and looks at Regina in all seriousness, "The father of the first boy to disappear experienced a fatal heart attack, but a couple things didn't seem quite right about it or about him." Maura resumes, "For one, it almost seemed as though he had been pushed or had been pulling on something that was suddenly released. The impact of his fall was harder than I expected. Then the next night I looked at his corpse again and noticed his body did not cast a shadow."

Despite a sudden shock of knowledge, Regina's expression remains impassive. _Pan's shadow?_ "I know it's not proper procedure but is there a chance I could see this man's body?"

"I had actually hoped to show it to Jane the other day but the body was taken by the mortuary before I had the chance to. As I was unable explain either the greater impact to the fall or corroborate my observation, I did not include them in my official report." Maura concludes with, "What does this mean?"

Regina turns at looks at Jane, "You may want to sit down for this detective." The tall brunette does as instructed. "First, I know that Dr. Isles could not have believed what she saw. It defies conventional scientific wisdom. However, I hope you can believe me when I tell you that there are events and places where science is not only based in the laws of nature but also in the laws of magic."

Jane resists the urge to tell Regina that she is insane and should leave the office, if not Boston altogether, immediately. Another part of her feels Maura's initial relief and then heightened anxiety about this new and impossible possibility. The detective can't comprehend what the Mayor - if she's really even one - is telling them.

The three women sit in Dr. Isles office dumbfounded. Regina is trying to figure out the next direction for this discussion. Jane breaks the silence by telling them, "I need a drink. I heavy duty one."

Maura agrees with Jane and Regina smiles at the doctor adding, "I could use a glass of whiskey myself."

As much as she'd like to get far away from the Mayor and her crazy ideas, the detective reminds Maura, "Well we were going to lunch anyway. Care to join us Mayor Mills?"

Lunch ends up being a rather quiet affair at The Dirty Robber. Maura and Regina order the same salad and give Jane the same disapproving look when her hamburger and fries arrive. None of them feel like talking about the missing boys or magic. The medical examiner brings up a completely off topic but ice-breaking comment to the Mayor. "You have excellent taste in clothing Mayor Mills."

"Thank you Dr. Isles and I can see you know of what you speak," Regina replies with a smile. "Are those Jimmy Choo's you're wearing?"

The blonde instinctively extends her legs to show off the black buckled high heels "I'm flattered you noticed Madam Mayor!"

"Please, you may call me Regina."

"Regina, what a lovely name, it means Queen," Dr. Isles comments, "but I am sure you already know that."

The brunette nods her head in acknowledgement.

"In that case please call me Maura."

Feeling left out of the conversation the detective adds "And you can call me Jane."

Jane continues, "What are we supposed to do with your theory that magic is involved in this?"

Regina answers, "It's not a theory. I don't know why it is happening but I know what is happening."

"Then please," the detective responds, "please enlighten us."

"I can't. Not here." the mayor answers, "I have to _show_ you and it's not possible for me to do that here."

Jane retorts with "Where can you show us then? Let's go!"

"Not as simple as that Detective Rizzoli," Regina states, "you need to go to Storybrooke."

Maura chirps in, "Storybrooke? You are saying we have to go to your town in order to understand what is happening?"

"Yes, that is exactly what I am saying."

"If these disappearances and what Maura told me weren't so fucking crazy, I'd send you right to the loony bin lady." Jane is frustrated with the conversation. "Okay, " Jane declares, "let's go to Storybrooke. If somehow doing so will prevent another child from missing, then let's do it."

"I am not going to drive back today," Regina states, "but as you are so eager to go there I have a suggestion."

"Oh how can I not wait to hear what it is," the detective says.

Regina gives Jane a look that makes Rizzoli rope in her attitude.

"You can go and talk to the town's Sheriff. Emma Swan. She's actually the one who thought I should come down here to meet with you Detective."

Jane looks over to Maura, "What do you think?"

"Me? I think the whole thing is absurd! And maybe that's the very reason you should go."

"You won't go with me?" Jane is disappointed.

"I feel like my head is going to explode. You have no idea, I'm sorry maybe you have some idea, of what it is like for a scientist to give any credence to magic. As far as I know magic is only illusion and theatrics."

Regina turns to Jane, "Go. I'll give you Sheriff Swan's number. She'll be able to help. I'll call her so she'll know to expect you."

"Are you staying in Boston tonight then?" the detective asks.

"Yes. I have some shopping to do and I'll head back in the morning."

Jane adds, "Maybe you can help Maura through this - whatever it is. As for me, give me the Sheriff's number and I'll get on the road."

The detective drops a $20 bill on the table and gets up.

"Maura. I will contact you as soon as I learn anything. I know what 'magic-mouth' is saying is a long shot but it's the only shot we have."

"Magic-mouth? Did I hear you correctly?" Regina is offended.

"Please don't be offended Mayor. I call Maura 'Google-mouth' and it doesn't upset her - right Maura?"

"It used to upset me Jane. I've just gotten used to it," Maura responds and Jane's face falls a little in acknowledgment.

"I'm sorry Regina, - and Maura, I know I can be rough around the edges. Sometimes I lack manners."

"Apology accepted then." Regina nods.

"Okay Maura. I'll give you a call from Storybrooke."

The doctor looks at Jane and says "Take care Jane."

Jane quips, "Perhaps Regina can help take your mind off things - she did mention _shopping_."

Maura smiles back at Jane, Regina watching the dynamic between the two of them.

A couple minutes after the detective's exit, Maura asks the Mayor, "What kind of shopping are you planning to do?"

Regina grins at the doctor, "For starters, I'd like to see where you got your heels."

The doctor can barely contain her excitement. "I have an idea. Do you have other plans for this afternoon?"

"The only thing left on my agenda is to return home with at least one new ensemble," the brunette replies with a sparkle in her eyes and an open smile.

"There's nothing pressing on my schedule or that my assistant ME can't handle," Maura provides, "I would be thrilled to go shopping with you!"

Regina tilts her head to one side a bit, elevating her eyebrow.

" _Only_ if you drive and we take my car. I'm at a meter outside your office and must move my car very soon." She glances at her watch and adds, "We're down to three minutes!"

Maura grabs the tab and Jane's $20 and raises her arm to catch the waiter's attention, "Regina, can you pull your car up outside the door here? I'll settle the check."


	12. Thursday Afternoon Storybrooke

"Swan?" Regina asks over her mobile phone at about noon.

"Regina?" Emma replies.

"I'm in Boston having lunch with Detective Rizzoli and her friend Dr. Isles," the brunette begins.

"So how's it going so far?" the blonde is in the Storybrooke Sheriff's Office, sitting at her desk and finishing off a huge mug of tea.

"I don't know why it is happening but Pan's shadow is definitely behind these disappearances." Regina flushes the toilet.

"Did I just hear a toilet?"

"I told them I needed to use the ladies room so I could call you. Listen up. Belle and I made a copy of the magic scroll that Ingrid had. Belle has the copy and I have the original with me." Regina waits for a response from Emma and not hearing one immediately she adds "Are you there? Miss Swan?"

"Yes, of course! and I thought you agreed to drop "Miss Swan".

"My evil."

"It's BAD, Regina - as in ‘My bad’ But I suggest you forget trying to learn."

"We can talk about that later. Right now we have to stop Pan's shadow."

"Agreed. I read that another boy disappeared last night - from Bath. That is too close for comfort.”

"I heard," Regina answers, "I told them that magic is behind it."

"Why? Couldn't you have just found out about the shadow _without_ involving them?"

"I have my reasons. Naturally they think I'm lying. I am going to try to convince them to go to Storybrooke."

"Great." Emma replies with sarcasm dripping heavily off the word.

"I will call you if they agree - or not. I'm going to give Detective Rizzoli your phone number."

"Regina!"

"I've got to go now Emma." The mayor hangs up on the sheriff.

Emma stares at the phone and says "Bye." She is getting pretty annoyed with Regina continually hanging up on her when Regina considers the call over.

Deputy Nolan sticks his head in her office door, "Was that Regina?"

Emma nods affirmatively.

"What did she say?" 

The sheriff leans back in her chair and her dad comes into the office. He remains standing and looks down at her with concern written all over his handsome face. "Did I hear you mention missing boys and a shadow?"

"Promise me you won't say a word to anyone Dad, not even to Mary Margaret."

He takes a swallow and says, "I don't think I can Emma. There are no secrets between us now - not since we were in Neverland."

Emma presses her lips together and frowns. "How about you avoid talking about anything with her that would cause you to bring it up? You know what I mean?"

Her father gives her a serious look and says, "I can't withhold the truth from her," he hesitates, "but I suppose I could avoid the subject."

"Thanks Dad," Emma replies.

His curiosity about it pushes him to continue, "So what is the deal about Pan's shadow? I thought Gold killed Pan."

"I did too. Truthfully, the less you know about this right now the better."

"If there's a chance any harm will come to my family - or to anyone in this town - you'd better tell me Emma. I will not idly stand by. I can't. You know that."

"I know. If we are in any danger I'll let you know." the sheriff agrees.

"Promise me," he says and then with emphasis, "Promise me Emma."

"I promise."

David isn't content with any of this but he says no more. He exits the sheriff's office.

Not five minutes pass before Killian enters the Sheriff’s Office, “SWAN!”

Emma cringes in her desk chair and doesn’t answer. Next moment Hook has entered her private office and stormed up to her desk. He looks terrible, dark circles under his eyes, his hair matted and he stinks.

“You don’t need to yell Killian, I am right here and my hearing is excellent.”

He face reddens. “You won’t see me but you’ll go out to a bar and _dance_ with the Evil Queen?!”

“It’s not what you think!” Emma retorts “And she’s not the Evil Queen anymore!”

“I saw you dancing together – what do you expect me to think Emma?”

“She’s my friend Killian and it’s…um, it’s complicated and – what?! Wait a minute buster! You _saw_ us? You were there?” The blonde is standing now giving Hook an incredulous look. “What were you doing there?”

“It doesn’t matter what I was doing there Swan. The fact is that I saw you dancing with Regina held close to you. What _are_ you? Have you been lying to me all along?”

“It sure _does_ matter what you were doing there. Were you spying on me? What the fuck Killian? And for your information I have _never_ lied to you.”

“Then you need to tell me the bloody hell why you were dancing with Regina!”

“I can’t tell you that – it’s between her and me. Listen Killian, you look and smell like you’ve been drunk. Why don’t you go home, shower and put on some clean clothes. We can talk about it later – “

“Don’t try to shut me up Swan” he glares at her. “I expect a full explanation later. You’d better have a pretty good one.”

“Call me after you’ve gotten yourself together okay?” Emma requests as Hook turns to leave almost tripping on his own foot as he does so.

“You don’t get to tell me what to do!” he calls out over his shoulder. He tries to slam the door on his way out but it’s got one of those compressors to prevent it from doing so. He growls at it and stomps away.

Emma drops back into her chair and puts her face in her hands. _Fuck him! Fuck this!_

She straightens back up in her chair and gazes absently out the window of her private office. Palms planted on her desktop she takes several deep breaths. She’s got too much pent up energy in her now and decides to walk over to Gold’s Shop visit Belle.

The bell inside the door tinkles, announcing Emma's arrival in the pawnshop. Belle looks up immediately, smiles and says, "Hi Emma". Mrs. Gold is standing behind the counter near the entrance to the back of the shop. As the blonde strides up to the counter, Belle asks "What can I help you with?"

Emma looks around to be see if anyone else is in the store, "Are we the only ones here?"

Belle's expression changes, "Yes. Why?"

"We need to have a private conversation," Emma answers, "I could really use your help right now."

Realizing that this may be more than a quick chat Belle motions to the back room, "Then perhaps it's best if we sit down and talk in there."

"Tea?" Belle asks Emma once the blonde's seated.

"Oh, no thanks, I just had some," Emma watches as Belle pours herself a proper cup and returns with saucer in hand. 

The brunette sits herself down, takes a sip of the hot tea and asks, "So what is so urgent and secretive?"

Emma clears her throat and looks Belle in the eyes.

"I understand you and Regina copied the magic scroll that allows someone to enter Storybrooke."

"Yes we did. I don't know if it will work for sure and I made her promise she would not see or talk to Rumple if their paths somehow crossed. I told her I wouldn't help otherwise. Is that what this is all about? The second scroll?"

"No. Regina told me about it. I just wanted to confirm it with you. I'll try to make the rest of the story short so we can start working on a solution right away."

Belle gives her a puzzled frown. Emma leans back in the chair and rubs her hands together.

"There are several boys in Boston and in some Maine that have disappeared -"

Belle opens her mouth to speak and Emma raises her hand, "Please Belle, let me finish this story. Then you can ask me as much as you want."

The brunette closes her mouth as instructed and nods for Emma to continue.

"Regina and I believe that Pan's shadow is responsible. We all thought Pan was dead. However, you and I both know that the dead don't always stay dead. However, for Regina to figure out that Pan's shadow is behind it, she had to let two women in Boston know about it."

Emma starts rubbing her hands together again, "You know, I'll take you up on that cup of tea now if that's alright?"

"Of course!" Belle replies and picks up the teapot.

"Could I have it in a mug instead of a cup? I don't do dainty well."

It takes the brunette a minute or two to locate a mug and another minute to clean it.

As Belle hands it to Emma the blonde tells her, "Sorry to be so much trouble."

"No worries." the brunette replies, sitting herself back down with her own refilled cup.

The sheriff takes a sip and resumes.

"Regina is going to try to convince the women to come to Storybrooke," Emma notices Belle's expression of surprise and motions for her to stay quiet, "I had the same reaction. For whatever reason she thinks they have to come here.” Emma wets her lips. "I suppose we won't know anything more about these women until I get a call. The bigger problem here is - assuming that Regina is right - how do we get rid of Pan's shadow? And, ah, how do we get the boys it took back to their families?"

The blonde takes a long draw from the mug and Belle looks at her sideways.

"Yes! Yeah you can talk now. Please."

Belle exclaims "Oh my! Good Heavens no! You sure know how to drop a disaster in my lap!"

"I'm sorry Belle but I didn't know who else to go to." Emma attempts to comfort her, "I've lost my trust in Killian."

“Killian? What’s happened between you two? He was here yesterday afternoon but I haven’t seen him since – you have an argument?”

“Uh, yeah, you could say that. He got drunk last night but I’d rather not get into that okay? More importantly what can we do about the Pan problem?”

"If only the fairies were here," Belle comments, "I think they could help us. With Rumple gone too, you and Regina are the only magic users I know."

The blonde adds, "I know it seems impossible but you, I and Regina need to come up with a plan as soon as possible or another boy is probably going to disappear tonight."

"Nothing like making this a little more stressful eh Emma?"

Emma looks at Belle with a crooked apologetic grin, her eyes full of "sorry."

"Okay then, let's see what we've got." Belle gets up to retrieve a pen and paper.

The front door bell rings in another shopper. "Hello?"

“How about I meet up with you later Belle? Give you a chance to think about it?” the blonde give her a hopeful look. “See you then – oh and thanks! So much!”

The Sheriff saunters back down the street, passes Granny’s diner, turns around and figures a fresh cup of coffee with a bear claw pastry will improve her mood. She’s back in her office not long afterward and is not at all wanting to see or hear Killian anytime soon. Her cell phone rings and with trepidation she answers in her best professional voice "Sheriff Swan."

She hears a strange low and husky female voice say "Detective Rizzoli."

Emma regains what little composure she has left at this point and says "What can I do to help you detective?"

"I think you're supposed to know," the sultry voice answers, "Your Mayor, Regina, said I should drive up to Storybrooke and meet you. She said it was your idea that she drive down to meet me. I'm not really sure I know what the hell is going on."

"Okay…" the sheriff sighs, "I trust Regina and if she says you need to meet me in Storybrooke, then that's enough for me."

"I can't find Storybrooke on my car's GPS. How do I get there?"

The sheriff looks at the map on the wall behind her desk, "The turn-off for Storybrooke is several miles west of Rockland. The road isn't marked. Can you call me again after you pass through Bath?"

"Sure." Jane says, "I'll call you then. Bye Sheriff."

"Talk with you later. Bye Detective." Emma hangs up. She immediately calls Belle. “Can you talk right now? I just spoke to a detective who is driving up here from Boston right now. Have you had any chance to look into our ‘problem’?

"Problem _s_ ," Belle corrects, emphasizing the plural. "Destroy the shadow. Destroy Pan. Return the lost boys to their homes. Perhaps take a trip to Neverland and back. Have everyone except us be none the wiser. Not necessarily in that order."

"Shit. I'm sorry Belle. It sounds even more impossible when you say it. Maybe we need some of that hope that my parents overflow with."

"I think I'll focus on how to destroy Pan's shadow first." Belle states, "Didn't you capture his shadow once?"

"Yes. I trapped it in a coconut with a candle." As Emma says this she almost has to laugh, it sounds so ridiculous.

"I think we have the coconut in the shop somewhere. That's good. Now have any ideas on how to find the shadow?"

"It's attracted to light. The candlelight is what drew it into the coconut shell."

"Where will we find the shadow?" Belle picks up with her questions.

"Okay I know that these boys disappeared around midnight and that the shadow appears to be moving toward Storybrooke."

"You don't think it can get into Storybrooke do you?" the brunette asks.

Belle gasps "Do you think it's actually looking for us?"

"It's a possibility Belle. A slim one I hope."

"Pan wanted the heart of the truest believer." The brunette continues, "but I don't think it would aim for Henry again do you?"

"Henry's not as gullible as he was back then. I don't think he's a target," Emma hopes.

"Let's say that the shadow can get into Storybrooke. Who would he take?"

After a couple minutes of silence, Emma says "Pinocchio."

"Why him?" Belle asks.

"Because he's a true believer plus he's the product of both love and magic?"

Throughout the afternoon Belle and Emma are on and off the phone discussing possibilities and strategies. Emma is so thankful to have Belle to help her through this. Gold was such a fool to deceive her.

The Sheriff's cell phone rings again and it isn't Belle on the other end. It’s Hook.

“I did as you asked Swan,” he tells her evenly, “I sobered up, cleaned up and I’m ready to talk with you about last night.”

“How about we talk after I get off work?”

“Are you stalling Emma?”

“No, Killian, in case you didn’t notice I’ve got a job to do here and I’m kind of busy today.”

“No need to be rude Swan. Call me when you’re ready to leave.” _Click._

"I just left Bath," Detective Rizzoli informs her. Emma tells the detective how to reach the town line. The line that Rizzoli won't be able to see and into the town she can't see. The Sheriff heads over to the pawn shop. "We have a guest coming to town," she tells Belle, "and I'm going to need that magic scroll."

Emma drives her VW to just inside the very visible line. She's afraid to drive over it, even with the magic scroll in the passenger seat. Instead she drives over to the shoulder, parks, picks up the scroll and steps out. She takes a deep breath and slowly walks over the line, looking down at the marking until it disappears. About five minutes later she sees a lone car in the distance and heading her way. She steps into the middle of the road.

Detective Rizzoli looks ahead at the scenery. It's so peaceful, it looks like it runs through a forest and must end at the water's edge. There are large trees and bright green foliage that seems to seep out of the forest shadows and onto the dirt shoulders of the two-lane country road. She notices a tiny speck rising up from the pavement about a mile away. At half a mile she can tell it's a human figure. It just stands there. At a quarter mile she sees that it's a woman and she slows down. The woman begins walking towards her and Jane brings the car to a halt. The detective opens her door and steps out. A tall woman with long blonde hair, a short leather jacket, and long leather boots approaches her. She is holding a rolled up piece of paper in her left hand and reaching out to Jane with her right.

“Detective Rizzoli, Boston Homicide,” Jane says extending her hand out to the woman. Her hand is almost the same size of Emma’s own but with a lighter complexion. The Sheriff grasps it firmly and gives it a single shake. “Sheriff Swan,” she says with a wide slightly crooked smile, “Welcome to Storybrooke.”

"There is nothing here," the detective says in her uniquely throaty voice, "well, except for the two of us."

"Looks that way doesn't it," the sheriff replies. She is looking eye-to-eye at a woman with long black hair and eyes as dark as Regina's. "You might want to let me drive us into town from here."

Jane stares at her blank-faced. "What the fuck is going on?" The detective’s swearing had taken a turn for the worse once Regina spoke of magic. Rizzoli hates and fears witches and magic.

Looking into Jane's eyes Emma calmly informs her that "The town is cloaked by a magic spell so we can't see it. I have to read from a magic scroll in order for it to be visible to us and to enter it."

"You have got to be fucking kidding me! Holy Mary Mother of Jesus!" Jane's entire body, not just her face, shows her disbelief. "I thought your friend Regina was crazy but _you_ make her sound sane."

Jane gets back in her car and rolls down her window. "I am NOT going to let you drive my car," Jane tells Emma, "you can ride in the passenger seat."

The sheriff walks around and gets into the car, "You are going to be in for a shock. Don't say I didn't warn you."

Emma reads the scroll.


	13. Thursday Afternoon Boston

The Doctor and the Mayor spend the rest of the day shopping at Copley Place. Regina picks up white pearl earrings and a matching single strand necklace at Tiffany's. She tells Maura she's already got a set of exquisite black pearl jewelry but thinks it might be time for a change. In truth, Regina prefers black and is thinking the white pearls would look nice on Emma. _Perhaps as a birthday gift?_ The Donna Karan jacket and Oscar de la Renta dress are definitely for her. They finish off with an early and expensive dinner at Menton's.

Dr. Isles stops Regina’s Mercedes in her driveway, sets the parking brake, pops open the trunk and turns off the engine. She exits and steps to the rear of the car as Mayor Mills is opening her door. Maura peeks inside and then pulls a couple bags from the trunk. Regina closes the trunk and takes her keys from the doctor.

"Care to join me for a night-cap?" Maura offers.

Already curious as to what the interior of Dr. Isles' home is like, Regina gives her a big smile and says "I would love to." She reaches out towards Maura, "Please let me take one of those bags."

The blonde reaches into a pocket of her handbag and unsnaps her keys from a loop inside it. After opening the door Maura flicks on the lights. Regina sees a large open room with a kitchen stretching along one wall, a dining table in front of tall windows with sheer drapes and a living area with a fireplace and a cushion-filled couch.

"Hand me the bag and I'll just put these in my bedroom," Dr. Isles says taking the shopping bag from Regina, "Have a seat, make yourself at home and I'll be right back."

The brunette starts to pull a chair back from the kitchen's island counter and then opts for the couch instead. She moves several pillows to the other side and sits. _What the hell is it with excessive couch pillows?_ It's not that she doesn't have pillows on her own sofas but in moderation. She looks around the big room, taking in the windows above the long kitchen counter and the many doors which radiate from this central room. Through the large windows Regina can see a courtyard and garden and a smaller building in a style similar to Maura’s. She presumes it’s a guest house or studio rather than a garage but thinks it might have a garage attached. When her host returns she looks up to her.

Dr. Isles steps back into the great room and heads directly to her wine cabinet. "A glass of red?"

Maura sets the crystal glasses on the coffee table and knocks several pillows off the couch onto the floor to makes herself a place to sit. She hands the brunette a glass and says, "Let's make a toast."

"To us," Regina suggests, "for having such excellent taste."

"In style I’d say ‘yes’ as far as men go I’d have to say ‘no’," Maura responds, "But I’d definitely raise a glass to us. To Us!"

The glasses clink like a artisan's chime, a clear perfect note.

The brunette offers “I haven’t had much luck with men either. My first love was murdered and the second was, um, it’s complicated – he is married and has a child. They moved to New York.”

The blonde is shaking her head, “Believe it or not I can relate to that. I feel in love with a murderer – I didn’t know he was at the time.”

Regina nearly chokes on wine. Maura jumps up to get a napkin for her. “Sorry! I don’t tell strangers that – but with you I feel like we’ve known each other a long time already. Odd isn’t it? However, I still prefer not to go into any details about it. And, Regina, I understand if you don’t want to discuss the men in your life in any more detail either. My second love is divorced but shares custody of a child. He moved to the Southwest to be close to his daughter.”

The brunette raises her eyebrows, “I have to say that our histories with men are uncannily similar: Horrible and sad. But let’s not dwell on them dear. We have to look ahead. Perhaps, as they say, the third time will be the charm.”

Maura smiles, “Yes. I’ll drink to that!” She tops off their glasses and they toast “To the third time!”

After they down their wine, Regina decides to get to know the blonde better. "Dr. Isles, how did you become the Chief Medical Examiner for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts?"

"I am exceptionally good at what I do," she laughs, "and, please, you've been calling me Maura all afternoon. There's no need to go formal on me tonight."

"Regina," the blonde continues, "how did you become the Mayor of Storybrooke?"

_It's a very long and insanely complicated story that you will not believe or understand._

"I was elected," the brunette answers, "The residents felt I would do the best job. Actually I ran unopposed. I'm the town's first Mayor."

At that moment the doctor's cell phone rings. In under a minute she's retrieves the phone and answers with "Dr. Isles."

"Maura it's Jane. How'd your afternoon with Mayor Mills go?"

The doctor puts her phone on mute and turns to Regina, "Would you excuse me a minute? I need to take this call."

Maura closes her bedroom door behind her. "Hi Jane! I take it you're in Storybrooke?"

"Yes. I'm on the sidewalk outside a place called Granny's. I've met Sheriff Swan and her deputy, but I really can't tell you anything new yet. I hope to find out more tonight." In truth there is a whole shitload of things Jane wants to tell Maura but she doesn't want to send her into shock.

"You're spending the night there?"

"Yeah, there's a bed and breakfast that this "Granny" woman runs. It may be a late night."

"I'll miss you in the morning. Will you call again before you leave the town?"

"Sure I will," Jane assures her. "So did you and the mayor go shopping?"

"We certainly did! It was _so_ much fun! Most of the time I go shopping alone and I'd forgotten what it feels like to have company -"

"Hold on Maura, _I've_ gone shopping with you!"

"Yes. And you hated every minute of it. It's not the same as shopping with a kindred spirit."

"So this woman that you've just met is a kindred spirit?"

"Do I detect a hint of jealousy Jane?"

"Don't be silly, well, maybe a little bit. I thought _I_ was your kindred spirit."

Maura chuckles, "You and I complement each other, whereas Regina and I have a lot in common - we both appreciate designer clothing and fine food."

"You went out on a date with her?"

"No Jane! Well maybe a "girl-date"? It was fun. We can talk more about it tomorrow. She's alone in the living room right now."

"She's there?"

"Yes. Didn't I just say that?"

"Were you able to find out anything more from her that would be worth pursuing?"

"Not as yet. Even if nothing comes of it Jane, I had a really enjoyable day with Regina."

"Then I'm glad you did, Maura," Jane relaxes a little. "I'd better go back inside Granny's before the Sheriff thinks I've taken off. You should probably get back to your guest. Tell Regina I said Hello."

"Goodnight Jane."

"Bye Maura."

When the doctor returns to the living room she finds Regina in the kitchen pouring her another glass of wine. "Hope you don't mind, I didn't know how long you'd be."

"Not at all," Maura assures her, "I was talking with Jane and it sounds like she's having dinner with Sheriff Swan and her deputy. Jane said to say hello." Regina is curious as hell about that encounter.

They both stand behind the kitchen island looking at each other. "So I guess we should finally address the elephant in the room," the mayor begins, "Magic. I believe magic is the reason why Mr. Bonadetti died and the boys are missing."

"Regina, you seem so down-to-earth and logical otherwise, but to believe in something that scientifically does not exist. I don't understand." 

"I am logical Maura," the brunette looks the blonde directly in the eyes with no hint of mirth and says, "However, I am also magical."

Maura is mute for a minute. "It can't be. I don't believe you."

"If you and Jane have any hope of finding those missing boys you are going to _have_ to believe me."

"If you are," the doctor makes a flourish with one hand, " _magical_ , as you say, then _show_ me."

Regina smiles and moves a little closer to Maura, "I can't. Not here in this place."

Maura purses her lips. "Because you can't at all."

"Let me try this again. You believe that Mr. Bonadetti's corpse casts no shadow. Am I correct?"

Dr. Isles nods an affirmative.

"You cannot explain why that is so. You cannot prove it to anyone. All I have is your word on it."

Maura senses where this is going.

"Now I'm going to ask you to take my word on it. Better still, if you go up to Storybrooke with me tomorrow I _can_ prove it to you."

"I'll have to think on it," the doctor replies.

"You can keep me company on the drive up and then drive back with Jane."

"Sounds tempting. I'll still have to think about it."

After a minute or so of silence, Regina says "I should probably get going, "I've got to check-in."

Maura raises a hand to stop her, "No, don't spend the night at a hotel! Stay here. That is, if you don't mind sleeping on a futon or the couch." 

"Well actually I can't stand the thought of driving in Boston at night to find the hotel. I'll take you up on the offer." Regina would much rather spend more time with Maura and in her home exploring them both.

"Great! I'll bring out some fresh towels for you."

Regina goes out to her car and returns with an overnight bag. She sets it next to the couch and accepts the towels from the blonde. After tossing the thought from one side of her mind to the other she asks Maura, “Have you had much experience dating?”

The doctor replies, “I think we could use another drink” and quickly picks up both the wine glasses and heads into the kitchen. As she fills them she says “I’ve really haven’t had much dating experience. My parents were very strict when I was younger – I went to boarding schools.” When she hands the mayor her glass she continues, “And then I was off at college and studying or traveling all the time.”

Maura sits down next to Regina, “Most of the men – maybe all of them? – I have met I met through my profession.” She chuckles, “I probably know more dead men on an intimate basis than live ones!”

The brunette laughs at that as well. “Believe it or not, I have never dated,” Regina confesses. “My parents were also very strict and I was home-schooled.” 

The doctor looks at her questioningly, “What about college? Were you like me and devoted to your studies? It seems like I never had any time for dating. I was consumed by the desire to always be at the top of every course I took.”

Regina looks down at the remaining wine in her glass before finishing it off, “I wasn’t interested in anyone until I met Daniel. After he died I was so angry and depressed I had no desire to fall in love again for a very long time.”

She stands and offers to refill their glasses. Maura tells her that she’s had enough to drink today so she’d better not. The brunette sets both glasses on the counter and returns empty-handed, “I’d best stop as well.” She picks up her overnight luggage from the floor and unzips it.

As the mayor is unpacking her bag Maura offers, "If you need anything let me know."

"I was in such a hurry to leave this morning I forgot to pack a pair of pajamas."

"We're about the same size. Hang on a moment."

A minute later Maura returns and holds up satin pajamas in one hand and an over-sized Red Sox t-shirt in the other. Regina looks questioningly at the t-shirt. "Not really my style," she says. Instinctively Maura says, "Jane's a big fan."

Regina reaches for the pajamas and wonders about the t-shirt.

"So tell me about your relationship with Detective Rizzoli?"


	14. Thursday Evening Storybrooke

"I sure wish you had listened to me," the sheriff tells the unconscious woman who is now in the passenger seat. Emma shakes Jane gently, "Wake up detective, wake up please. We're here." Jane regains consciousness and looks around her. It looks like a typical small town on Maine's coast. She looks at Emma. "What the hell happened? Last thing I remember is looking down on an empty road in the middle of a forest."

"You fainted. I switched seats with you and drove us into town" Emma is turned in her seat to face Jane “Are you okay now?” The detective looks at her with a steely gaze, “I do not faint. What did you do?”

The blonde shakes her head, “I read from a scroll and then you passed out. We are in Storybrooke now.” Jane is not buying it “Bullshit. You did something to me.”

Realizing she’s not going to be able to persuade the detective otherwise right now, Emma tries another approach. “There’s no point in arguing about this. We can both agree that you were unconscious and now you seem to be fully awake. Let’s go into the restaurant here, get some coffee and talk.”

“You seem nice enough but I don’t trust you Sheriff. However, I could use a really strong cup of coffee right now." Emma smiles at her and says "Me too."

The Sheriff opens the door to Granny’s Diner, makes a sweeping motion with her hand and says, "After you." The detective heads to the first booth she sees and sits facing the door. Emma sits down on the bench seat opposite her. No sooner are they seated than a waitress comes over and greets the blonde with "Hi Sheriff."

Emma gives Ruby a big grin and says "Black coffee and a hot chocolate with -"

"Whipped cream and cinnamon," Ruby completes the order and hands menus to the ladies.

David was at the counter when they sat down and now comes over, eyeing the tall dark woman.

He gives Emma and Jane is charming grin and says "I'm Deputy Nolan. May I join you?"

The blonde scoots over and David sits. His grin remains as he takes in the newcomer's face.

"What brings you to town?" he asks.

Emma realizes Storybrooke will be rife with rumors before sunset.

Jane takes a long drink of coffee before answering Deputy Nolan, she isn't sure how much she should tell him so she decides to play it safe, "I'm here because of Sheriff Swan. I'm working on an investigation in Boston and could use her advice with it."

David waits for Emma to add something to it but when she doesn't he decides to let it go - for now. He likes the sound of the woman's voice so he asks her another question. "Are you two having dinner here? or just caffeine?"

Jane replies, "Actually I could use something to eat. Are you hungry Sheriff?"

"Me?" Emma looks up and grins at Jane, "Always." She waves to Ruby who gives a nod back to her. Then she tells Jane "I’m sure you’ll feel better after you’ve had something to eat. Then we can walk over to the office and talk." Emma looks at her dad and adds, "Privately."

Deputy Nolan looks somewhere between offended and disappointed but he kindly offers, "How about I pick up Henry and take him to my place for now?" Emma is relieved and smiles at him "That would be great Da-," she catches herself almost saying Dad and recovers with, "-vid. Thanks David." She gets a quizzical glance from the detective but nothing more. Jane is busy looking at the menu. The deputy stands to leave saying “It’s a pleasure to meet you Detective Rizzoli. I hope I’ll have a chance to talk with you soon.” As he leaves Ruby approaches to take their order.

"This is really good," the brunette says with her mouth half full. “We agree on that!” the blonde adds.

After polishing off their burgers and fries, Jane gets up and tells Emma that she needs to make a quick phone call. She heads outside and calls Maura. A minute after Jane returns to her seat, Hook comes in. Emma doesn't see him before Jane does because her back is to the door.

"Why is that guy dressed like that? And why is he coming over here?" the detective asks as Killian arrives at the table.

Emma's face blushes and then goes red as he sits to occupy the spot next to her that David vacated.

Killian turns to Emma and says "Hello Love," with a quick wink and a crooked grin. He immediately turns to Jane and asks "And who might you be?" Emma answers him before Jane can get a word out, "She's a detective from Boston here to discuss some business with me." Then she makes a quick introduction, "Killian Jones meet Detective Jane Rizzoli."

“Good to meet you Detective” the pirate smiles and then turns back to Emma “So are we still on for tonight?” The blonde furrows her brows “I’m busy tonight – I thought I already told you. I’ll give you a call later.” He then adds “May I at least walk with you back to your office?” The sheriff minutely nods her head no and sighs “the detective and I have issues we need to discuss in private.”

Killian stands up and exhales "Well don't let me stand in your way." Directing his look to Jane he says, "I hope to see you again soon." He bends down to give Emma a quick kiss on the cheek “Until later then.” He exits the diner.

All eyes in the diner are on Emma and Jane as they leave. 

Once they are walking down the sidewalk to the Sheriff's Office, Jane asks "So that man is your boyfriend?” “Yes… I guess” the blonde answers, “We’ve been dating.” The brunette can’t help her curiosity “Why is he dressed up as a pirate?” The sheriff stutters a little “He, uh… it’s just something he likes – hey, can we maybe not talk about him? We got more pressing issues right now.”

“Sure, that’s fine,” the detective lets her questions about Killian go for now but she’s still intrigued as to why he’s dressed like he is. “So what is the big deal about what information you’ve got on these kidnappings?”

They’ve already arrived at the Sheriff’s office and Emma unlocks the door. They step into the open area. Jane looks at the blue couch and wonders how sanitary it is. 

"Have a seat at a desk," the blonde offers but the tall dark woman remains standing. She herself sits at the other desk.

"Two empty cells," the detective observes, "Wow. Your crime rate must be through the roof."

"Well things are slow around here," the sheriff comments, "last occupant was the town drunk."

Emma fidgets with a pen on the desktop, "Guess we'd better get down to why you're here."

"I was beginning to wonder," Jane replies with an eyebrow raised.

"I tell you what Regina told me and what I know from personal experience," the blonde begins, "but promise me you'll let me say my piece first okay?"

The detective gives her an affirmative nod.

"Okay, then. Well... where to start," Emma taps on the desk and looks down at her fingers before looking up. She looks out the window, at the empty jail cells, anywhere but in Jane's eyes. They are too damn intense and the woman is staring at her.

"Why don't you just begin." Jane says with a look of imploring concern, "then we can go from there."

"Okay," the sheriff takes a deep breath and releases it, "on Monday I noticed on the police alerts that a boy was missing in Boston but I didn't think twice about it. Then Tuesday another Boston boy went missing. I felt concerned but let it go. Wednesday a third boy is gone. From Portland. It's strange, especially given so few facts. I talked to Mayor Mills about it. We were suspicious about who is behind this. The only way we thought we could find out if our suspicions were true was to talk to you."

"I'm with you so far Sheriff, " Jane nods and encourages her to continue.

"So Regina, I mean our Mayor, drove down to see you. Apparently your Medical Examiner witnessed something that defied scientific explanation. That pretty much confirmed what we suspected."

"Which is?" the detective already knew the Mayor's answer but she wanted to hear what the Sheriff had to say on her own.

“That magic is involved.”

“You mean like witches – that sort of thing?” Jane shudders, she is both fascinated and terrified by witches. She holds her public school record for number of field trips to Salem.

Emma decides Jane’s conclusion will do for now, “Yes. _That_ sort of thing.”

"Listen lady, I don't know what the hell you've been drinking, eating, inhaling or shooting but it has nerfed your brain. Yours and Regina's." She scowls at Emma “you guys expect us to believe in magic? Like comic books are real?”

The sheriff holds out her hands palms out as if to stop Jane from continuing. "Okay I know it seems that way. When I first came here it took me a long time to accept" the blonde runs her fingers through her hair, "Damn it I knew this was a bad idea." She decides to bite the bullet and spit out her theory "There is a magical shadow that is stealing the boys and taking them somewhere else – to another, um, dimension?" Then Emma brings her eyes back to Jane who is staring at her with eyes wide open and dark eyebrows up high in disbelief.

"Sheriff. There is no such thing as magic. It doesn't exist. Regina said that if I came up here you could prove it does exist. You haven't. I have no idea why you guys are leading us on a fairy-tale chase. It ends here." Jane turns to leave.

"Wait!” Emma stands and moves closer to her. “Please hear me out! I know you think we’re crazy but what I’m telling you is true. There’s a reason why you couldn’t find Storybrooke on your GPS. Remember you couldn’t even see it when you first arrived. When I first came here I thought it was just, you know, a quaint little seaside town. Then I started to notice small unusual things about it and decided to stay awhile.”

“What did bring you here Sheriff?” Jane rests her hands on the back of a chair. “Why would anyone deliberately come to a place that’s not even on a map?”

“Detective, please, it’s a long and complicated story and we have something much more urgent to deal with. Can you try to suspend your disbelief for a minute? Magic is real and there are other realms that exist in some strange parallel universe."

Jane tilts her head to the side, her dark eyes drilling holes into Emma’s "Well let's suppose, for the sake of argument, that this shadow is taking boys to another ‘realm – as you say’… No let's not. Lady, you are fucking crazy and I'd better get going if I'm going to make it back to Boston tonight."

The detective begins to move back to the door, takes one step and stops. Not because she stopped but because Emma stopped her. With magic.

"Wow," the sheriff says to herself, "I didn't know I could do that." She tells Jane, "I just used magic on you, in case you were wondering. When I release you, I want you to stay here and work with me." 

Emma frees Jane from the spell and "Holy shit! Mother Mary!" are the first words from Jane's mouth. "You're a witch! I hate witches!" The detective goes to make for the door again and Emma stops her again.

"I really don't want to do this," Emma says as she opens the door of the first cell and drags Jane into it. The detective's boot heels leave scuff marks on the floor. The sheriff removes the detective's gun, phone and keys, and locks them in her desk drawer. Then she closes and locks the cell door. As soon as she releases Jane from the spell, Jane yells, screams, wraps her hands around the bars to the door and shakes them with all of her strength.

Emma walks into her own office, closes the door and tries to call Regina but she's not getting a cell signal and it goes directly to voicemail. "This is a mess," she sits at her desk and puts her elbows on it and drops her head into her hands, "what the hell are we going to do?"

After a while the detective is silent and sits on the bed in the cell. Emma gets up and walks over to it, keeping several feet away from the bars. Jane's eyes follow her.

With an even raspier voice than before, Jane says, "What do I need to do so you will let me out of jail?"

"First I need you to believe that magic is behind the boys disappearances."

"That's a tall order Sheriff." 

"I just showed you that magic exists. How else can you explain ending up in that cell?"

"Something in the food?" Jane suggests.

"You recall arriving in Storybrooke? I got into your car and read this magic scroll," Emma pulls it from her jacket pocket. "Storybrooke instantly appeared right in front of us. Seems it shocked you so much you passed out."

The sheriff regards Jane's troubled look and continues, "I had to pull you into the passenger's seat and drive us into town. Everyone in this town, except for you Detective, believes in magic."

Jane sighs and extends her neck back so she's looking at the ceiling. She decides it doesn't matter if she really believes in it or not. As long as the Sheriff and the Mayor think she believes.

The detective stands up and walks up to the cell door, "I believe you."

Emma stares at her. "You don't. I can tell when someone's lying."

"Please," Jane begs, "I can't help it if I can't believe you just like that. It's too much for me to take in all at once."

The Sheriff realizes Jane is now telling her the truth and that it is over-whelming.

"Okay, I'll let you out on one condition," Emma bargains, "Give me your word you won't try to leave town."

"All right." Jane concedes. "Can I have my things back?"

"You can have them back when I feel I can trust you," the blonde tells her as she unlocks the cell door.

"For now let's take a walk."

Jane tries to hide her anger at Emma for somehow tricking her into getting into the jail cell and taking her gun, phone, and keys away. She also realizes that, unless she were to get into a physical fight with the Sheriff, there is not much she can do about it right now. The detective decides she’d just better play along unless an opportunity for her presents itself. “Your deputy mentioned someone named Henry. Who's that?"

"My son," Emma answers, "he picked him up from school and is looking after him tonight."

"How old is he?"

Their conversation is intentionally limited to "safe" topics for the time being.

"So where in Boston did you live before coming up here?"

It's closing time and Belle is walking up to the door to turn the sign as Emma and Jane enter.

"Is this-?" Belle starts.

"Belle," Emma smiles, "This is Detective Jane Rizzoli - up from Boston."

"Detective," the shop-owner lowers her head in respect.

"I'll be right with you ladies. I just need a minute to lock up."

Jane is fascinated by the large number of unusual items in the shop. Some don't look unusual - like the unicorn mobile, others look like they have no function at all.

Belle returns to them and invites them to join her in the back of the store.

"Fascinating store you have here," Jane smiles at Belle.

"Thank you. Your voice. I've never heard anyone with one like it," Belle says.

"Yes. It's unusual," the detective says, "I get that kind of reaction a lot."

Jane turns to Emma, "There is a reason we are here I presume?"

"Can I offer you ladies something to drink?" Belle asks.

"I don't suppose you've got any beer?" Jane answers.

"I actually might have a bottle or two in the fridge!"

"If you do, bring them both?" Emma asks as Belle retreats into her kitchen.

Mrs. Gold returns with two opened bottles of beer and hands one to each.

"Here you go ladies," she smiles, "I'll be right back - I'm going to set the kettle to boil."

Jane looks at the beer label and doesn't recognize it.

"It's a micro-brewery here in town, pretty good," Emma assures her.

Jane takes a drink, "Not bad."

Belle returns to the table and sits with the others.

The detective turns to her and asks, "You have a lovely accent but I can't place where you are from?"

Belle looks to Emma for a sign and the blonde gives her a yes-nod.

"I'm from, " she hesitates a moment, "the Enchanted Forest."

Jane almost blows beer through her nose and Belle rushes to grab a cloth napkin.

She hands it to Jane who cleans off her face and the bottle and dabs at the couple spots on her grey jacket.

"I'm sorry," the detective says, "I thought you said 'Enchanted Forest'. Is that like the name of a suburb around here? Or a town near here?"

Belle answers, "I don't know what a 'suburb' is so I'm pretty sure it's not one of those. It's more than a town, it's a place very far from here."

"Let me guess," Jane continues, "it's a magical place in a different world."

Belle beams at the detective and says, "Why yes! That's it exactly!"

The kettle starts to whistle and Mrs. Gold rushes off to the kitchen.

She returns to the table with a cup and saucer. Emma's been keeping quiet until they are all settled.

"I'd ask what brings you to Storybrooke detective but Emma filled me in on it earlier today," Belle comments.

"I've been back and forth between the shop and the library digging up every bit of information I can find on Peter Pan, the shadows and ways to get in and out of Neverland." Belle is completely serious and looks for signs of understanding on Jane's face.

Jane presses the heels of her palms to her temples, closes her eyes and exclaims “No! This can’t be happening!”

With her eyes still closed she takes several deep breaths and wishes Maura were there. _This is a dream. I’m just having a really very strange dream. I’ll wake up and everything will be fine._ Unfortunately when she opens her eyes again Jane is disappointed to find that she’s still dreaming. _Great. I’ll just try to make the best of it then._

So the detective listens wide-eyed and realizes this lovely young woman is earnest in what she's saying.

"So you believe in magic too Belle?"

"Of course!" Mrs. Gold answers. "Only a fool wouldn't."

Jane's face flushes a little and Emma grins.

Belle continues, "I think we should find out if Captain Hook -"

The detective jerks forward with a cough, bringing the napkin back up to her face, "I'm sorry, I seem to be coming down with something."

The smaller woman stands up and says, "I've lots of potions in here and I think I have just the one for your cough." 

While Belle is looking for cough syrup, Emma tells Jane "You were wondering about the pirate from earlier today?"

Jane shakes her head at her, "Okay, so Peter Pan, Captain Hook. Next thing you're going to tell me is that Tinker Bell is real too?"

Mrs. Gold returns with a bottle and a spoon, "Yes! And she lives right here in Storybrooke now thanks to Hook, and Emma's family."

"Emma's family?" Jane raises an eyebrow and looks in her direction.

The blonde smiles and says, "Well, we can talk family later. Right now we've got a lot to figure out."

Jane addresses them both "You don't mind if I just sit and listen, do you? I mean I haven't a da-, any idea what I can contribute to this plan of yours."

Jane sits back and nurses her beer while Belle and Emma discuss things like Peter Pan, portals, coconuts, shadows, another place called "The Dark Hallows" which appears to be somewhere in Neverland, light magic, and beans.

Belle gets Emma and Jane each another bottle of beer and then delves back into the conversation.

"... and like I was saying earlier, I think Captain Hook may have pocketed more than just one magic bean." Belle concludes.

Emma replies, "He told me he used his last one."

Belle gives Emma a knowing look, "You remember that he's a pirate don't you. He can't be trusted."

The blonde gives her a slow nod.

"You must be exhausted detective. What, with the drive _and_ listening to all this talk of magic and different realms." Belle places a hand on Jane's forearm. "Are you staying at Granny's? I can call and let her know you're on your way over."

Jane replies, "Yes actually. I am very tired. Are you guys done here? For tonight I mean?"

Emma answers, "Yeah, I think so. We'll need to go over it again when Regina's back. Come on Detective, let's get you settled in for the night."

The tall ladies bid Mrs. Gold a goodnight and start walking back to Granny's.

Jane unlocks the door to her room. It looks like she would expect any room in a small New England town Bed & Breakfast to look like. Granny must have put clean linens on the bed and towels in the bath when Belle called her. Jane doubts they have enough visitors to warrant daily housekeeping. She puts her jacket on the back of the chair, unzips and kicks off her ankle-high boots. She hangs her belt on a bedpost and thinks that if this is a dream she should be able to have her locked up possessions show up. They don’t. After laying her slacks and blouse on the chair's seat she peels off her socks and flops on the bed. It's really soft. Down to her tank top undershirt and panties she's laying on her stomach on top of the comforter with her arms up and elbows bent. She opens one eye to look over her left arm at the alarm clock, drops the eyelid and falls asleep.


	15. Friday Morning Boston

Regina wakes before the sunrise. She can barely make out the larger shapes in the room. The dining table and chairs on one side of the room and the stuffed easy chairs on the other. During the night the comforter fell onto the floor where she left it. The borrowed satin pajamas feel like hers. Looking through the windows she sees the sky begin to lighten into a predawn blue. Every minute now is lighter and shapes begin to sharpen, although all colors except for blue and gray remain hidden. She has seen the sun rise on many occasions but this is the first time she's seen it in the outside world, in a strange home. Sitting up on the couch she continues to watch the dawn add new color to the room, to the garden outside and the sky. A layer of low scattered clouds reflect back the yellow and pink of the growing sunrise. Regina hears a door open.

Maura quietly steps towards the kitchen and hears a calm serene voice from the couch say "It's okay Maura, I'm awake." 

The doctor moves to the couch and sits as well. She whispers, "It is so peaceful in here I hate to disturb it... Would you like some coffee? I have a new roast I've been meaning to try." 

"Yes," the mayor smiles, "I would. Thank you."

They sit together on the couch drinking coffee until the sunlight fully engulfs the great room. The doctor is wearing a light silk Kimono and apparently nothing under it. Regina turns to Maura and asks, "Did you think on it?"

"On going up to Storybrooke with you?" the blonde cocks her head to one side and sweeps a hand behind her head and across her neck gathering her hair to fall to one side over her shoulder.

"Mmhmm," the brunette nods her head slightly. _Maura is really attractive._

"It looks like it will be an excellent day for a drive up the coast," the blonde concedes, "I'll check my schedule and see if I can re-arrange it." The doctor reaches out to take Regina's empty coffee cup, gets up and heads to the kitchen, "Would you care for another cup?"

The brunette answers with "No. Thank you". A door near the dining area opens and a woman steps in. While Regina is surprised at the appearance of the newcomer, she remains seated and calm. Maura simply turns to look. "I'd love a cup of coffee," Angela tells Maura as she walks into the kitchen. 

While Maura gets another mug from the cupboard, Angela notices the brunette on the couch smiling back at her. Without waiting for her coffee she comes around the island and says, "Hello. I'm Angela Rizzoli. I don't think we've met before."

"Regina Mills. Are you related to Jane Rizzoli?"

"I'm her mother. Are you looking for Jane? She's not in town right now. Went up to a town in Maine called Storybrooke. That's a storybook name or mine's not Rizzoli" she chuckles.

"Regina's a new friend of mine, Angela. She's actually visiting from that town in Maine. I invited her to sleep here last night."

"Oh, you're from Storybrooke?" Mrs. Rizzoli is surprised.

"She's the Mayor of Storybrooke," Maura informs her. She hands Angela a mug of coffee.

"Oh - Honored to meet you Mayor," Angela. 

Regina stands and replies, "Nice to meet you too Angela."

The mayor addresses them both, "If it's okay with you two ladies, I'm going to excuse myself and get dressed." Regina picks up her overnight bag and heads to the bathroom.

"Your friend has a very dignified manner about her, " Angela tells Maura.

"Yes. I've noticed that myself," the blonde agrees.

"What brings her down here?"

"Has to do with the missing boys," Maura answers. Angela clearly wants to talk more, but the doctor stops her by saying "I'd better get dressed myself. Excuse me Angela." Mrs. Rizzoli nods, wondering what the mayor has to do with the missing boys and a bit disappointed that she might not find out right away.

When Regina returns to the living room, Angela is gone. She wanders around the room looking at broad variety of items the doctor has collected and displayed. _It’s time to check in with the Sheriff._ When she looks at her cell phone she notices a voicemail from Emma yesterday: "This is a mess. What the hell are we going to do?". That's all there was to the message and Emma sounded very weary and exasperated. The brunette immediately calls her.

Emma picks up on the third ring, "Regina! Where are you?"

"I'm still in Boston. What the hell was your message about?" Concern is clearly evident in her voice.

"Detective Rizzoli showed up yesterday and we had a misunderstanding. I think it's better now."

"She's still in Storybrooke?"

"Yes, I'm meeting her a Granny's in about ten minutes."

"Good," the brunette replies, "do me a favor and tell her that I'm driving back with Dr. Isles this morning."

"When?"

Regina ends the call with "We'll be leaving here very soon."

The brunette sits back on the couch and taps the armrest with her fingertips. After a couple minutes she stands and begins to pace the room. She is almost ready to knock on Maura's bedroom door when the doctor appears and tells her she's almost ready - that she needs to leave extra food for Bass. Maura gets a surprised reaction from Regina when she's told Bass is a tortoise but the brunette doesn't press for more. The doctor suggests they have a light breakfast before leaving but the mayor tells her she isn't hungry and asks if Maura can take something to eat on the road. Disappointed by the brunette's rush, Maura packs some yogurt, granola and blueberries. They put their bags and luggage into the trunk of Regina's Mercedes and are soon en route to Storybrooke.

While Maura eats, Regina apologizes for the hurry, "The detective and Sheriff Swan are awaiting our arrival so I want to get there as quickly as possible. I am sorry about insisting you eat in the car.” The doctor nods acceptance and continues to finish her breakfast.

"You really should not skip your morning meal, " Maura reminds Regina.

The brunette nods, "I'll be happy to cook you a proper breakfast tomorrow if you and Jane decide to stay the night." Maura half-smiles back at Regina and looks out the window. Miles and minutes pass in silence.

About a half hour goes by and then the blonde breaks the quiet. "Have you ever been married Regina?"

The brunette is taken aback by the question and then replies, "My husband died years ago."

"Oh," Maura says, "I'm so sorry for your loss."

"No need to be sorry," Regina responds, "It was not a happy union."

"You weren’t in love with your husband? I don't mean to pry," the blonde continues, "but you mentioned that you’ve been in love twice and that the first one is deceased."

“Ah. I understand your confusion. I was not in love with my husband – it was an arranged marriage that I wanted nothing to do with.”

“How horrible!” Maura exclaims “I didn’t think arranged marriages still existed – although in some states girls can be legally married off before they’re adults if they have parental consent. Were you married as a child?”

“I was seventeen. It was a very upsetting time in my life that I prefer not to dwell on.” Regina changes the subject. "I have an adopted son, Henry," Regina smiles, half turning her face to Maura, "And _he_ is the love of my life."

“I’m happy for you and your son. I am pretty much married to my work. Jane and I both are." 

“Have you ever wanted to have a child?”

"Yes and no," the blonde responds, "I think about it from time to time but ultimately I don't think I'd make a very good parent."

"Why not?"

"I was adopted as a baby. I didn't know my birth parents until fairly recently - the past several years. The couple that raised me was older and wealthy but we didn't become very close. I spent most of my youth in boarding schools and attended Universities away from home. I suppose one could say that I severely lack parenting skills."

Regina appreciates Maura's candor and feels some sympathy for her. "You might be surprised." the brunette says, "I was pretty bad at parenting myself. At one point - when he was just an infant - I was so exasperated trying get him to stop fussing, I drove back to Boston to return him to the adoption agency. He had new parents already lined up. At the last minute I decided to keep him. "

The blonde sighs, "If I do have a maternal instinct I would say it's buried down deep. Babies and young children are adorable, but I can't see myself having one."

"For a long time I couldn't either. Then I discovered that Henry filled a hole in my heart I didn't even know I had."

"Interesting… I suppose it's possible to feel that something was missing only when it's been found."

While Maura looks out the window at the passing scenery every now and then, she is almost sitting sideways in her seat observing Regina. _She really is unusual. Poised, smart, attractive, e mysterious…_ Almost as if Regina were reading the blonde’s mind, the mayor asks “Have you ever felt attracted to a woman?”

The blonde takes a minute before she answers. “If you mean have I ever thought of a woman as attractive, the answer is yes. Case in point: I find you attractive. If you mean have I ever thought of a woman in a romantic or sexual way, the answer is no. Not that I think a person can’t have a partner of either sex." Maura continues “You know, Jane and I have actually pretended to be lesbians on more than one occasion. One-time it was related to work. We were trying to get DNA samples to catch a murderer. I pretended to be a waitress at a gay bar and Jane pretended to be looking for a lesbian relationship using a gay dating site. It was so funny. She had potential suitors lined up!” The blonde looks over at Regina “I’m afraid I might be rambling. Was there a reason for your question? Do you think you might be romantically attracted to another woman?”

The brunette’s face goes red and her eyes go wide “No! I thought – well, you and Jane seem so very close that I thought perhaps you might be. I’m sorry Maura. I am probably too inquisitive for my own good.”

The doctor just laughs it off “No apology necessary Regina. It doesn’t bother me. Jane and I once told an auto mechanic that we were LLBFFs - Live Long Best Friends Forever – which we are, but in that instance we were trying to dissuade him from flirting with us. I mean his flirting was _very_ suggestive.”

The mayor decides to push the doctor just a little bit further along. "You said that a person could have a partner of either sex. Do you think you might be bi-sexual?"

Maura momentarily thinks Regina might be offering. "I think so," the blonde hesitates a little before adding, "but I don’t know. I haven’t any experience with women."

"Are you attracted to Jane?" The brunette is enjoying this with an almost evil pleasure.

"I think Jane is beautiful. I find her attractive. Not so much in her choice of attire. But I’ve never considered our friendship moving into romance."

"So... do you think it _could_?" Regina glances over at Maura.

"Why so much interest in Jane’s and my relationship?” the doctor looks back.

"I know I’ve only seen the two of you interact briefly but there is such a comfortable familiarity between you. You kind of behave like a married couple. And I mean that in a _good_ way." 

"Hmmm” Maura decides to move the conversation in Regina's direction. "What about you? Do you think you can have either a male or female partner?"

Regina is surprised by Maura's question as she thought she was controlling the conversation. "I've never thought about it before… I suppose it's possible. However, I have become wary of falling in love with anyone again – male or female."

"Same here," the blonde responds, "I am not sure I even want to fall in love again."

"Oh, I want to fall in love, " Regina says, "but I want it to be forever. I don't want anything to stop us from being together."

Before either of them can ask another question, Regina comments, "I think we need to stop and get fuel."

The brunette drives to the first gas station she sees. When they are back on the road again they don't bring up the topic of relationships again. It is almost as if each woman is lost in her own thoughts. Regina keeps her eyes on the road and Maura is back to gazing at passing seascapes and landscapes.

A long time passes without any words spoken. Eventually Maura tires and nods off to sleep. Regina is pleased because she might be able to enter Storybrooke without Maura waking. She knows the doctor is going to be in for a shock, but is grateful that she might be able to delay it. When they approach the town line, the brunette puts the car in park and reaches past Maura gingerly, quietly, to remove the scroll from her glove box. That accomplished, she breathes a sigh of relief and reads the scroll. Her home town appears before her and a big smile forms on her lips as she shifts back into drive and crosses over.


	16. Friday Morning Storybrooke

Jane is not usually an early riser by nature. She didn't bother to set her alarm last night. Yesterday was a crazy day and it exhausted her. In spite of her fight with Sheriff Swan and trying not to believe in magic, she slept sound and deep. The quietness of this coastal town no doubt helped. Her mind wakes up and her eyes stay closed. She stretches like a cat. Memories begin to enter her consciousness. _Where am I? Mmmm. This bed it really comfortable, can't be mine. I'm in Storybrooke._ She opens one eye and then the other. Inhaling through her nose she picks up the scent of bacon. Like Pavlov's dog she starts salivating. _Must have bacon._ Jane decides she is not going to think further about today until she's had bacon, eggs and coffee. Then she'll think. She looks over to the clock and it tells her 8:24am. 

Before 9am Detective Rizzoli is happily seated in the diner, in front of her is breakfast, and she has a coffee mug in hand. She catches Sheriff Swan's eyes when the diner’s door opens. The blonde takes a seat opposite her at the table. "How are you feeling today?" Emma asks with a cheerful smile. 

The brunette plays it safe replying with "I slept really well and breakfast is delish."

The Sheriff informs her "I spoke to Regina this morning. She and Dr. Isles are on their way up."

That cheers Jane up. She missed her doctor last night and this morning. She stops eating long enough to say "That's great".

The blonde orders herself a hot chocolate and some toast. She patiently waits for Jane to finish her meal before resuming their conversation. She notices the detective is wearing the same outfit she had on yesterday. While Emma changed from yesterday's attire, the style remains basically the same: short leather jacket over a knit top and jeans tucked into knee-high boots. The hair was different. Today Emma sports a ponytail. 

"I was thinking that until Regina and the doctor get here I could show you around town," the blonde suggests, "You know, chill and relax for a bit before - before they get here." Jane finds Emma's smile disarming. "Okay Sheriff. Works for me."

Once outside they start to stroll towards the seashore. Emma is reminded of the days she and Henry would go out there to discuss the book. _THE book._

"When I first came to Storybrooke I would hang out here with Henry."

"Isn't Henry Regina's son?"

"I'm Henry's birth mother. Regina is his adopted mother."

The brunette ponders that for a minute and then turns asking "Are you and Regina a couple?" She does little quote marks with her fingers when she says "couple".

Emma looks at Jane with her eyes and mouth wide open "No!" _We're a couple in a lot of ways but not how she's thinking it._ After a moment Emma realizes and clarifies "Oh, I see how you got that. One child, two mommies. No, we are not lesbians if that's what you were thinking. Regina adopted Henry as a newborn. I didn't come into his life again until many years later." 

Jane nods her understanding. They walk a little further down the strand. "Why did you come here?"

The blonde isn't sure what Jane's asking. "Come to the beach or come to Storybrooke?"

"I can see why you'd come to the beach," Jane looks at Emma. "Why did you leave Boston to come to this town - was it to find your son?"

Emma sighs, "If I tell you, you won't believe me."

"I hardly believe anything since I've been here, " the brunette smiles, "so go ahead."

"Well I did come here because of Henry" the blonde begins.

"That sounds believable so far." Jane encourages.

"Yeah, but he came to Boston on his own and found me rather than the other way around."

Jane is startled "He ran away from home to find you?"

"Yes. Somehow he got my address and came knocking on my door."

"And then?" Jane is sincerely interested in hearing this tale.

"I opened the door and said 'Who are you?' and he said 'I'm Henry. I'm your son." 

"Oh my God. That must've thrown you off balance."

"Sure as hell did." The blonde smiles at the memory. "He kept insisting that I go to Storybrooke with him. Eventually I gave in, drove him up here, and returned him to Regina."

"How'd that go over?" the brunette asks.

"Badly... Henry was angry with me because I planned to turn around and go back to Boston. When Regina found out I was his birth mom she was scared that I'd try to take him away from her."

"I can understand that," Jane says, "So why did you stay?"

"I stayed because of Henry. And then because of a whole lot of things that happened because of that."

The detective wasn't ready to go down that conversational road right now and instead asked, "Why did you give him up for adoption in the first place?"

"Now I'm going to have to confess to my past life of crime!" Emma laughs.

Jane raises her eyebrows with a c'mon and tell me more look.

"I was abandoned as a baby and spent my childhood in and out of group homes and foster homes. I got caught stealing when I was eighteen and sent to jail. Turned out I was pregnant and my boyfriend ditched me just before I was arrested."

"Jeez. Some boyfriend." When Jane says that, Emma's demeanor changes. She bows her head looking and yet not looking at the toes of her boots. _I miss you Neal...you funny little shit.  
_

"I'm sorry Emma," Jane stops walking and reaches out to touch the blonde's arm, "I can't imagine the torment you must've gone through."

Emma's eyes water up and she sniffles, "I'm sorry. I thought I was over it. Obviously I'm not."

Jane turns to hold her in a comforting embrace. After a minute Emma pulls back and continues, "I gave birth in prison. I didn't believe I could possibly take care of a child. I had arranged to put him up for adoption before he was born."

"And that's how he ended up with Regina?" the brunette surmises but asks anyway.

"Yeah." the blonde answers, "One thing lead to another and now almost four years have passed."

Emma decides to turn this interrogation around and asks Jane, "How did you end up a Boston Police detective?"

"My dad was a plumber and my mom a housewife. I have two younger brothers and I thought maybe they'd take after dad. I was a tomboy and couldn't imagine myself getting married and having kids soon as I finished school.”

The Sheriff nods her understanding and Jane continues “I really admired our local cops and watched all the cop-shows on TV. So that's what I decided to be. Entered the Police Academy. Worked my way up through the ranks to detective once I got into the BPD."

"Sounds like a pretty straight and narrow path," the blonde comments, "no divorces or other tragedies during your childhood?"

"No. I guess I had a pretty normal childhood. My parents got divorced after all three of us kids were grown-up. Despite dad calling his business "Rizzoli and Sons" neither of them showed any interest in plumbing. My younger brother Frankie ended up following in my footsteps and our youngest brother, Tommy, well... He's a. It's like he didn't grow up you know? He's doing okay now I think, he's got a wife and kid. For a long time he had trouble with responsibility."

Emma laughs, "Trouble with responsibility. That was me... Maybe it still is."

The detective points to a bench, "Mind if we sit for a bit?"

The blonde shrugs her shoulders, "Sure." Once seated, they find themselves gazing out over the water. Several minutes pass and Emma turns to see the profile of Jane's face. It's strange having this new person in their tight little town. Maybe they needed to meet each other. Get a different perspective on some things. 

Jane turns her head to look at Emma and locks right onto her eyes. Emma gives her a lop-sided grin which ends up echoed on Jane's own face. They share a chuckle and the brunette says, "If you're ever in Boston again you should look me up. Despite our different childhoods I think we might have more in common than we know."

"I might just do that," the blonde says and gets up off the bench. "Probably time to head to the office."

Back at the Sheriff's Office, Jane and Emma look at the latest report of a missing child. The detective gets up abruptly, "I can't just stay here and not do something about this! Five boys in as many days. When can we move on your ridiculously absurd theory?"

"Try to stay calm," the sheriff urges, "Regina and Dr. Isles will be here soon. Soon as they're in town we'll all meet at Belle's shop." Emma's getting anxious too but is trying not to let it show.

Both women turn their heads to the door when Hook walks in. "Hello ladies," he says as he saunters up to Emma. He leans to her ear can adds, "Can we talk in private. Now." He waits for her "okay."

To Jane she says, "I need to talk with Killian outside for a few." They both exit and the detective watches through the window as they move to several paces to the far side of the door.

"You said you'd call me," Killian says in an accusatory tone, "You need to tell me what the bloody hell is going on."

Emma looks at him, tighten her lips and looks past his shoulder, "I can't. Not right now. This case that I'm working with the Boston detective takes priority. Trust me, if all works out this will be over soon."

"What has Belle got to do with this?", he demands to know, "You can tell Belle about it but not me?"

Emma momentarily wonders how he knew that she’d met with Belle. Then again, this is Killian… and he’s obviously been stalking her for at least this last week. "Please Killian," Emma places her hands on his shoulders and leans in, "Please. Give me a couple more days." She kisses his cheek and looks into his eyes. "Do you have any more magic beans?"

"What the hell!?" Hook exclaims. "I told you I used the last one I had."

"Look me in the eyes and tell me that." Emma holds his chin with her hand so he can't turn away again.

"This is bloody ridiculous!"

"Tell me." The Sheriff repeats.

"Why?"

"Never mind. I've found out what I needed to know." Emma drops her hand to her side and takes a step back from him.

"Did I ever tell you what my superpower is? I mean, from before I even came to Storybrooke?"

"I already know about your magic Emma."

"I didn't know I had magic until after I got here Killian. But this is something I had before I got here. I can tell when someone is lying to me. And you - you are lying."

"So you think I'm telling you a tale then? That I'm hiding something? Well look at yourself, you are hiding something from me. You aren't revealing your secrets. I don't have to reveal mine. I am a _pirate_ damn it! It's what I do!"

"And I'm a _sheriff_ working to solve a crime. That's what I do." Emma looks at Killian as if making an evaluation of him. "I promise we will spend time together after this case is solved. I promise. Right now I have to get back to it. Okay?"

Hook is clearly unhappy but nods agreement. "I'll give you two more days. Come Monday we'll have a long talk. Hmmm. Maybe not so much actual talking." They give each other a chaste kiss and Emma re-enters the office while Killian walks away down the street.

"Captain Hook _is_ your boyfriend" the brunette confirms with raised eyebrows and a sly grin.

"Not too sure about that," Emma replies. "I need to call Belle right away."

The blonde warns Belle that Killian may be heading over to the shop to try to find out what they were discussing. She also lets Belle know that he might indeed have another magic bean or two stashed away.


	17. Friday Afternoon Storybrooke

Emma recognizes Regina's Mercedes as it pulls in the parking space near the Sheriff's Office door. Jane's eyes follow Emma's to the car and immediately see Maura in the passenger seat. Both of them were out the door just as the car's doors were opening. 

Jane is at Maura's door helping her out and giving her a bear hug. Maura is surprised by the show of affection but happily returns the hug. "Am I ever glad to see you!" Jane exclaims.

Emma does likewise to Regina who smiles broadly and responds with "Let me guess. Our problem is solved?" The tall blonde pulls back with "I wish! I am so relieved to see you."

Jane practically pulls Maura by the hand over to where the Mayor and the Sheriff are standing.

Emma takes a step and extends a hand, "Dr. Isles I presume?"

"Ha ha” the doctor catches the sheriff’s Dr. Livingston reference “Please call me Maura. I don't think I'm here in any official capacity. You are obviously Sheriff Swan?"

"Emma is fine."

Jane looks over at Maura and asks "Are you hungry?"

The tall blonde doesn't notice who the question is aimed at and replies "I am!" before Maura has a chance to reply. Regina offers, "I can't fit us all in my car but it's a short walk to the diner."

"So... Granny's for lunch then?" Emma asks to confirm and Jane nods yes with a big smile.

As the four walk down to the diner, Jane and Maura pair off and Emma and Regina do the same. It happened naturally and comfortably. Each wanted to catch up on the story from her partner so-to-speak. The person each is most at-ease with. Made sense so there were no excuses made for the break from the group conversation. Nonetheless, it is impossible not to eavesdrop on each other, if you were so inclined.

Jane thinks she’s whispering to Maura but her voice tends to carry “I am so relieved that you’re here, if not in reality at least in my dream.” The blonde stops walking and turns to face Jane directly “Dream? What are you talking about?” 

The tall brunette comes to a halt “I don’t believe in magic or what the people here are telling us, so I think I must be drugged or dreaming Maura.”

The blonde slips right into doctor mode “Look into my eyes Jane”. She checks out her friend’s vital signs and just about everything else that would indicate use of controlled or illegal substances. 

Emma stops walking and touches Regina’s arm as soon as the sheriff realizes the other couple are no longer following them “Hold up”. The mayor turns to her and immediately sees that the doctor is conducting some kind of examination on Jane “That’s odd” she comments. They both walk back to the other couple and Emma asks if there is anything wrong. Maura quickly replies “Not that I can tell without a urine sample and a blood test.” Jane blushes and grimaces at the doctor’s comment. Regina stares at her “You think she’s sick?” The shorter blonde answers “I don’t think so, however, Jane thinks she may have been drugged. Should I be worried about that?” The mayor is offended “You think we did something to her? That’s ridiculous!”

The sheriff steps in and gently pulls the mayor back by her upper arm, “Please excuse us while we have a word in private. Regina?” They take several steps away from Maura and Jane and begin to whisper. Emma moves her mouth very close to the brunette’s ear, “There are a few things I did to Jane that I haven’t been able to tell you. Before you say anything – I did not slip her a roofie or anything like that. But I used magic on her – not a lot! I just kind of froze her, and, ah, locked her in a cell, and, um, took away her gun, phone and keys.” The brunette practically jumps back in shock – eyes and mouth wide open. “Oh. My. God. Emma. Why?” The blonde forgets to whisper back “Because she asked for it!” No soon is that statement out of her mouth than she elaborates on it “I mean she was going to leave town if I didn’t prove to her magic is real." Regina sarcastically responds “Great. Now not only does she still not believe in magic but she thinks you’ve given her a hallucinogenic.” The blonde apologizes but qualifies it by saying it was all she could think to do at that moment. 

They walk back to the newcomers who have been having a short conversation of their own “Presuming you aren’t intoxicated, I think that _you believe_ that you are having what is called a lucid dream, basically a state of REM sleep wherein you realize you are dreaming and may actually be able to influence it.” Jane smarmily tells her “well thank you doctor wiki”. Maura continues “As for me I am completely conscious and aware. However,” she touches Jane’s forearm gently, “Jane, you are probably attributing my presence as a means to change the course of your dream. Until you are fully awake,” at which moment she pinches the brunette’s arm. “Ouch!” Jane yells at Maura with her eyebrows pinched together, “that frigging hurt!” The doctor nods her head side-to-side, “I guess that didn’t work.”

Regina and Emma witnessed that little experiment and are chuckling to each other. The mayor speaks to make the other couple aware that they are standing there “How about we get some lunch?” She points, “We’re almost at the diner.” The four of them finish walking to the restaurant together, while Maura quietly says “I’m sorry” to Jane to which the brunette replies “if you are nothing more than a conjured up person in my head I’m going to start calling you figment.” Regina hears that comment and says “Figment? Isn’t that a Disney cartoon character?” Jane rolls her eyes while Maura and Emma share a giggle.

Granny's lunch crowd turns to face the door when the women enter. A few of the customers actually drop their jaws. Jane is still a novelty but now Maura becomes the latest curiosity. Regina walks up to a couple that have only then finished their meals, "I see a vacant booth". The man and woman look up and he says “Um. Yes Madam Mayor. We were just getting ready to leave.” Ruby has already appraised the scene and is there in a moment to clear the table. Maura’s eyes can’t help but land on Ruby’s very exposed long legs and shorts-covered ass when the waitress leans over. The customers quickly scoot out of the bench seats and head to the cash register. The doctor, suddenly aware of what she was – not so subtly – staring at, shifts her gaze to the short, gray-haired woman behind the register and says “I am guessing that is Granny.” Jane and Emma simultaneously say “Yep” and the tall blonde turns to the tall brunette telling her “You owe me a Coke!” Jane chuckles and sits in the newly vacated booth. The sheriff scoots in next to her, leaving Maura and Regina to sit opposite them. 

Ruby returns with glasses of water and menus. After setting the four glasses down safely on the table, she says "Hello again Detective Rizzoli," while handing her a menu. She then turns to the blonde across from Jane and says "Hello -" "Maura" the shorter blonde replies as she takes a menu from Ruby's hand. "Mayor, Sheriff," the waitress continues handing them each a menu. 

After perusing the diner’s offerings, the doctor turns to Regina asking “What do you recommend?” Jane and the sheriff don’t even bother looking at the menu. When Ruby is standing there with her pen and pad in hand, Regina tells her “Two of the chicken and kale salads with dressings on the side. And two cups of black tea. Thank you.” As she hands the menus to the waitress, Emma orders “Two loaded cheeseburgers with fries, one glass of beer and one large Coke – Thanks!” Ruby takes the other menus from Emma and gives her a broad smile “Coming right up!” She turns on her heel and heads to the counter to turn in her order. "I can't believe those two," Jane says secretly to Emma with her hand next to her mouth to block her mouth from Maura's view. As if Maura and Regina can't hear what she's saying, "they ordered the same salads. I think they're part rabbit." Emma smirks at the remark and there's a faint twinkle in her eyes.

Maura sighs, “Well now, this seems like a very friendly place.” She looks over to Emma and, seeing them both side by side asks “Are you two the same clothing size? You are very much alike in appearance – your shoulders, shape of your faces. You even have similar chins!” Jane and the sheriff look at each other with eyebrows raised. Maura adds “Your behavior is almost the same!” Regina nods her affirmation. Emma says “Well this is weird. Looking at the two of you” she points to the doctor and mayor, “I’d say the same.” Jane nods in agreement. Maura blushes, “Thank you for the compliment” and, nodding to the shorter brunette, “but I think Regina’s beauty far surpasses mine.” Now the mayor reddens “This is getting silly.” By this time Ruby is approaching the table with food.

Maura seems to notice that many of the diner’s patrons look at them and then turn away. The sheriff and detective are having a small, mostly non-verbal conversation with each other, in between mouthfuls of food and gulps of beverages. Words exchanged by the two of them are along the lines of “Yum. This is good. Tastes great. Mmmm.” and one full sentence “Don’t forget you’re buying this Coke.” On the other hand, the mayor is chewing each bite completely before swallowing and delicately sipping her tea. She notices Maura scoping out the clientele “I’m afraid that you and Jane are quite a novelty in this town. Our visitors are few and far between.” _And some aren’t even human._ “It appears so,” the doctor concedes and adds in a small whisper, “hopefully the place Belle is at will be much more private.”

As the women are now quite aware that they are being watched and eavesdropped on, they stick to safe topics of conversation. Maura becomes quite enthusiastic when she relates her shopping trip with Regina to Emma and Jane. Jane is disinterested but Emma smiles and nods politely at intervals. Regina listens and occasionally interjects a comment like, "I told Maura she should see _my_ wardrobe!" Jane's input is directed to Emma, "Do you have a sports bar in this town?" 

As soon as David swings off his stool at the counter Jane recognizes him. She returns his altogether too charming smile as he walks over to their booth. As if on cue, Mary Margaret opens the door to the diner and is coming over to them. Jane feels responsible for making the introduction, "Hi Deputy Nolan, this is Dr. Isles, my, ah, associate." “Did I hear someone say doctor?” Snow's eyes widen, "We could use a new doctor here!" "I'm sorry, this is my wife Mary Margaret," David jumps in. Snow looks at him in disbelief at his sentence construction. "Well I'm not that kind of doctor, Mary Margaret. And please, call me Maura."

"Nice to meet you," Snow extends a hand for a brief shake, "What kind of doctor are you Maura?"

"I'm a Medical Examiner with the Boston Police Department." Then Jane proudly adds, "She's the Chief Medical Examiner for the Republic of Massachusetts." That makes Maura blush and look to her hands. "Well color myself duly impressed," David responds. "An honor," Snow adds, catching a glimpse of Regina's eye roll before turning them back to Jane. The detective says to Snow “I don’t think we’ve met before either. I’m Jane”. The petite short-haired brunette feigns surprise “Oh, you’re the detective that David was telling me about.” Said David reddens a little as Jane and Emma look at him.

"Hi David, Mary Margaret," Emma smiles at them with a knowing kind of look that Jane picks up on.

The deputy asks her “Who’s minding the shop?” to which the sheriff says “I am” holding up her cell phone “via call-forwarding”. Jane tries to give the blonde a discreet glare. David nods at his daughter, “We will let you get back to your meals then. And oh, do you want me to pick up Henry from school again?” Regina answers for the sheriff “I think we’ll be fine today thanks David. One of us will call you if it turns out we need you.” They say their farewells and Ruby returns with the check.

Emma enters the pawn shop first. "How cute," Maura reacts when the shop bell tinkles.

The shorter darker blonde takes a look around the shop as the other three approach the counter. Belle greets them. "You have quite an assortment of unusual items in your shop," Maura comments appreciatively to Belle. "Don't I know it!" she laughs and introduces herself to the newcomer. "I don't know what Emma has told you," she begins and Emma continues with "I haven't had a chance to tell Regina and Maura anything yet. Do you think you could close up shop early and -" Regina finishes with "How about we all go over to my house so we can discuss this problem we've got in private? And with alcohol?"

They head back to the Sheriff's Office and Regina and Jane drive to the house in the Mercedes while the other ladies take Emma's yellow VW bug. As they start up the walkway to the portico Maura exclaims "What a beautiful house!" Regina smiles at the compliment saying "Thank you Maura." "Must've a cost a fortune" Jane says and wonders how a small town mayor could afford such luxuries. Regina responds silently. _More than you could ever imagine_.

Once inside, she leads them into the living room, "Please have a seat and make yourself comfortable. Would anyone care for a drink? I’ve got the best hard apple cider you’ll ever taste." They all sit except Maura who goes to Regina and offers to help, "Plus I'd love to get a peek at your kitchen." 

When they are all settled, Belle fills Maura and Regina in on what she, Emma and Jane discussed the day before. "I didn't discuss," Jane reminds them, "I watched you both talk while I sat there dumbfounded."

By the end of Belle's recital Maura is speechless as well. Emma tells Belle that another boy disappeared last night and then excuses herself so she can make a call to Henry. Regina gets up and follows Emma into her study. 

"Hi Henry," Emma says on hearing his voice, "How you doing? I know I missed you too. Regina? Matter of fact she's right here." Then to Regina, "He wants to talk with you." Emma hands her the phone. "Hello Sweetheart," Regina says, "Would you be angry with me if I ask David and Snow if you could spend the night with them again?” Henry sounds upset “What’s going on Mom? You and Ma are being really secretive and I know that there is a detective from Boston in town. David told me but he said he promised Ma not to talk about it.” Regina takes a deep breath, “Yes that’s true dear. I apologize but we can’t reveal what it’s about just yet. It might jeopardize the investigation that the Boston Police Department is working on here.” 

Emma looks at Regina and reaches for her phone “Hey Kid. I know it is really hard for you to not know what this is all about. As you are sure to find out, there is another person who arrived this morning. She’s a doctor from Boston and works with the detective that came to town yesterday. Regina drove her up here.” Her son is curious as hell “I don’t understand why they are here. Can’t you tell me anything more? It must be really important because we don’t get people coming to Storybrooke. Why would you and Mom want anyone from the outside world here?” She sighs “I think Regina better answer that. It was her idea to have them come here.” 

Emma hands her phone back to the brunette. “Henry. Please try to understand. This is a complicated situation. I think these two people need to be here for us to resolve their investigation. If I didn’t believe they were necessary I wouldn’t have persuaded them to come here.” She can hear Henry’s disappointment. “Honey, if it all goes well, everything will be back to normal by this time tomorrow.” The blonde raises her eyebrows in surprise on hearing that. Regina puts her hand over the phone and shakes her head no to Emma. Putting the phone back to her ear she continues “Just one more night, tonight, and the day tomorrow Henry. When this is all over and done with I promise you that Emma and I will explain everything.” 

Her son makes her promise again before asking to speak with his Ma again. “I know what you are doing is important and must be very serious. I’m sad that you both don’t feel like you can trust me not to tell anyone.” Emma stops him from continuing “It’s not that we don’t trust you Henry. You kid – are the most trustworthy person we know! Your Mom and I are just trying to involve as few people as possible. David doesn’t even know the details. No one except Regina, the two policewomen from Boston and I know. “He interrupts her, “I bet Belle knows.” 

Emma is momentarily dumbstruck. He continues “Hook told me you spoke with her about it. He also told me you asked him about magic beans.” _Damn you Killian. I swear I’m going to kill you one day!_ “Henry. Please listen to me. Yes, Belle knows. We are just asking you to be patient with us for another day.” Her son’s voice is distant when he says “I’ve got to get back to class. So I guess David will be picking me up again.” Emma pleads “Kid, please forgive us for keeping you out of this. It’s safer this way and we love you so very much.” He says “Love you too Ma – and tell Mom I love her too. Guess we’ll talk tomorrow then.” Regina looks to her for the phone but Emma tells her “He’s hung up. I’ll call David.” The brunette gives her a sad nod and leaves the room.

As Regina returns to the living room, Belle asks "Is everything all right?" The mayor answers quietly “Yes. We were letting Henry know that he’ll be staying with David and Mary Margaret tonight." A minute or two later Emma re-enters the room and announces “Okay that’s all set. We shouldn’t have any more interruptions until tomorrow afternoon. Now, what’s the plan?” To everyone’s amazement, Maura says “I think it’s pretty clear: Go to Neverland, stop the kidnapper, bring the boys to Storybrooke, and then Jane and I re-unite them with their families.” She laughs “Regina, are you sure you didn’t slip something into our drinks?” Jane chips in “Thank you Doctor Isles! I was beginning to think I’m the only one who is not crazy.”

The mayor rolls her eyes “You don’t believe any of this, do you?” Jane answers “Can you blame us?” Maura adds “I’m a scientist. I can’t give credence to any notion that hasn’t been proven.” Emma replies “What can we possibly do so that you will believe us – at least for the next 24 hours or so?” She casts a glance to Regina. “What? You want me to put them under a spell of some sort?” Belle looks back at Regina “I don’t even know if unbelievers can enter Neverland.” 

Jane gets up and turns to Emma, “Can I please have my weapon, phone and keys back?” The blonde sighs heavily, “Regina?” “Let’s try to be calm” the mayor begins, “Look at what Maura and Jane do know for a fact. Each night for the past week a boy has disappeared from his home under mysterious, inexplicable circumstances. The FBI is unable to make any progress. Dr. Isles herself witnessed something that - as far as she knows – is scientifically impossible. However, unbelievable as our theory is, at least Emma and I have one. For the past day and a half, you – Detective Rizzoli and Doctor Isles – have spent time with Emma and me. Apart from our belief that magic exists, I think it fair to say that we otherwise seem like sane human beings. I ask that you both agree to suspend your disbelief in magic for another twenty-four hours. Please try to play along with us, then, so-to-speak, in order to test our theory and see if we can’t recover these boys.”

The detective looks at the three townspeople “I am either dreaming – lucid dreaming or whatever - or you are all short a card or two from a full deck. Yes, other than this hocus-pocus and fairytale stuff, you seem pretty normal.” She turns to Maura “What do you think? Should we make a deal?” 

Maura stands up and takes Jane by the arm “If you’ll excuse us for a few minutes, I think the detective and I need to talk privately.” She ushers Jane into the kitchen. Jane’s posture and facial expression are both saying “What?” The doctor tells her “Just listen, Jane – for a minute. I, personally, have not witnessed any action that I would call malicious. In fact, it’s been to the contrary. The Sheriff and Mayor have been very kind and sincere – even in their shared delusion – if that’s the case. What harm could it possibly do to us to play along? If it’s all make-believe no harm will come to us. I, for one, am very curious as to how all this is going to play out. Plus, as a doctor and as a scientist I love proving, or disproving – as may happen here – a theory.” The brunette replies, “Okay, then. How about this? Emma gives me my things back, we play along with their fantasy another day and then we split this strange town?” Maura smiles at her “Alright then.” Jane adds “Oh plus they owe us a dinner… and breakfast tomorrow.” The doctor sighs, “Jane…”

When the couple comes back into the living room, Jane announces the terms of their deal. Belle whispers to Emma “she sounds a bit like Rumple but he’d never agree to such easy terms”. Regina gives the Bostonians a half-grin “Good. How about Emma takes Jane to the Station and then to Granny’s to pick up her things, while the rest of us start preparing dinner?”


	18. Friday Night

Leaning forward in the armchair with her hands clasped together Belle asks the women “So we are clear on how you are all getting to Neverland and back?” Regina has kicked off her heels and sits on the living room couch with her knees bent and feet tucked under her “If we haven’t got it crystal clear by now we may as well try to swim there.” Emma is at the other end of the couch, has pulled off her boots and her feet are planted on the cushion next to her, knees up with her back against the overstuffed armrest “Got it Belle.” Maura and Jane are on the matching loveseat. They have abandoned their shoes as well. The doctor gives Belle an affirmative nod. Jane answers “Yeah. We wear slippers or beanies, click them three times, and say ‘Take me to Neverland. Abracadabra’.” Maura gently slaps Jane on her arm “Beans not beanies” and tells the group “I think she’s had too much cider. Whatever your secret ingredient in that is, Regina, it punches a kick!” The mayor laughs, “Never telling, and, yes, it’s quite potent dear.”

Belle straightens herself back up in the big cushy chair and addresses them “Once we find the shadow, how will we disable it?” The detective has decided she wants to muck up the conversation and jumps in with “I’ll shoot the crap out of it! What? It’s not illegal to kill a shadow – is it?” Maura looks at her friend in disbelief “Jane, it’s a shadow. It has no mass and the bullets will go right through it.” The tall brunette responds “Jesus. How the hell are we supposed to kill something that doesn’t have a body?“ Emma chimes in with “The last time we killed it – or at least thought we did – it had been re-united with Pan’s body. How are we going to find the body it belongs to?” Regina grumbles “this is getting worse by the second.”

Maura has an epiphany, "There's a story about a Shadow that was defeated by a light that shattered it." Impressed, Belle says “I'm not familiar with that one." The doctor continues with the tale "Yes. And it involved Peter Pan too… I recall now. The story is "Peter and the Shadow Thieves" ** _._** The villain… Give me a moment – his name is on the tip of my tongue. Oh yes! ‘Lord Ombra’ is part man and part shadow. He steals a people's shadows to read their thoughts and enslave them. He fears light, but it aids him in capturing shadows. Ultimately he is destroyed by a brilliant flash of light that breaks him into millions of tiny shadows."

Belle adds, "I think that makes some sense. Rumple told me that there was a shadow that was the sole inhabitant of Neverland before he and his father landed there. This shadow - it had a name but I don't recall it - somehow merged with Rumple's father turning him into Peter Pan."

Jane’s eyes go wide "Did you just say 'Rumple'? As in ‘Rumplestilskin’?" Belle looks back at Jane with amazement, "Yes! You don't happen to know him do you? Encountered him in Boston? Of course he goes by the name of Mr. Gold -." The detective brings up her hand in a ‘Stop talking’ gesture “Peter Pan is Rumplestilkin’s father?” She whines “Maura! Help me!” The doctor helplessly shrugs her shoulders.

Mrs. Gold proposes that "If this shadow existed before Peter Pan, then perhaps it returned to its original form and home when Gold killed Peter with the knife." Emma adds “I so want to believe that Pan is dead, I mean really, really dead. But going back to what Maura said about how this Ombro dude – whatever – was destroyed by light. Maybe I could use my light magic on it?” Regina looks intently into the tall blonde’s eyes “I can contribute whatever light magic I have.” Emma nods. Belle continues “Worth a try! How are we going to find this shadow-monster?” The sheriff answers with “I captured what I thought was Pan’s shadow in a coconut shell.“ Jane bursts out in deep uncontrollable laughter. 

It takes several minutes for Jane to stop and recover. She confesses “I think I may have hurt myself.” Jane turns to Emma “Can you lock me back up in that cell?” The tall blonde gives her a smirk. Under her breath Regina whispers to Emma “Maybe you should.” Maura returns from a downstairs bathroom looking like she had just brushed her hair and touched up her make-up. 

“Okay, so where were we?” Belle asks. “We are going to trap the Shadow-man and blast him with Light Magic” Regina re-iterates, “Presuming we can destroy him we need to find the boys. Emma and I have been to Neverland before so we have a fair idea of the terrain. There were a couple places where the Lost Boys had camped and I think we should check them first. I don’t know where the Shadow will be but Emma probably has an idea or two.” Jane has decided it is safest for her to just listen and try not to explode into a giggling fit. Maura casts the detective a sideways glance, “I think we should split into two groups: Regina and I in one and Jane, Emma and Belle in the other.” She sees a hurt look on Jane’s face as the tall brunette fake-whimpers – with some truth in it – “What? You wouldn’t want to be with me?” Belle interjects “Oh, I won’t be accompanying you there. I’ll be staying here. You know, just in case.” Maura asks her “In case we don’t return?” She gets a yes nod in response. 

Regina speaks up again “I agree with the doctor about splitting into two groups but I think Emma and she should be in one and Jane and I in the other. Hopefully Jane will be completely sober by then.” The detective casts stern glare at her that quickly fades. Maura and Emma nod their agreement so far. The mayor asks “Maura, do you have a make-up compact with you? With a mirror in it?” The doctor straightens up saying “Yes, I do” and she reaches into her purse to pull it out. “Good,” Regina states, “When we get to Neverland I’m going to cast a spell on the mirrors in our compacts so that we can communicate with each other.” Jane’s face is going red with restraint and she’s holding her sides tight.

“Please get yourself together Detective Rizzoli. This is not a game.” Regina chastises her, “Emma and Maura will look for Lord Ombra while Jane and I search for the boys. When we can trap the man or the shadow – whatever form he might be in, we will meet back at the exact spot we will have landed in Neverland.” 

"I hate to break-up this witch party, "Jane says, "but it's late. Are we going to try to go to this Neverland place tonight?" "You're right. It's late," Regina states, "Allow me to show you to the guest room. I suggest we all get a good rest tonight and head to Neverland first thing in the morning – well, after breakfast." She winks at Maura.

"You think we should wait?" Emma asks "What if another boy disappears tonight?" "If that's going to happen, I don't see how we can prevent it," Regina answers. "I, for one, could use some sleep," Maura comments, "I'll just get my things from your car." “I’ll take Belle home and then drop off the objects we need from the shop back here,” Emma offers.

While the sheriff drives Mrs. Gold home, Regina leads Jane and Maura upstairs to the large guest room at the end of the hall. “I’ve put fresh linens on the bed and towels in the bathroom,” Using magic, but of course Regina omits that part, “if you need anything let me know.”

Regina stands at the curb in front of her home when Emma pulls the VW up. The motor is still running, and Regina slips into the passenger seat. Emma turns to face Regina, "Well?" Regina smiles warmly at the blonde, "Please stay." When Emma doesn't answer and looks out the windshield, Regina continues, "I promised Maura I'd fix them a full breakfast. Jane's staying over. So how about staying as well?" The blonde is thinking about it, “Well, um… I don’t have a change of clothes.” The brunette is quick to respond, "Not a problem. Please. We've got a lot to do tomorrow and we can get an earlier start if we're all together to begin with." Emma's face softens and a small smile forms on her lips. She shuts off the engine. "Okay. I don't suppose you have a spare toothbrush?" Regina grins back at her “As a matter of fact, I do."

Emma smirks and nods her head slightly side-to-side. She opens her door and Regina does likewise. 

In the entry, the blonde asks, "Am I sleeping on the couch?" "Only if you want to," Regina answers, "You can sleep in Henry’s bed or you can have my bed and I'll sleep in the chaise lounge." The blonde considers her last suggestion, "You sure?" Regina smiles and nods back at her, "Yes. I often sleep on the lounge when I have trouble sleeping in bed."

They quietly ascend the stairs and head into Regina's large bedroom. The room is bathed in an orange glow from the small stack of wood burning in the fireplace. Moonlight casts a bluish light on places the orange doesn't reach. Emma looks out the window, "It's really nice in here." "I know," Regina adds, "There's a new toothbrush and toothpaste in the small drawer of the bathroom counter. Clean towels are in the large cabinet below that." "Thanks", Emma responds as she sits herself down on the window seat and removes her jacket and boots. 

Regina heads down the hall to wish her guests a goodnight and the blonde heads for the bathroom. She strips down to her tank top and panties. Regina has put a pillow, sheet and small comforter on the chaise and is sitting on it. She looks to the door when Emma emerges, the bathroom light momentarily silhouetting the blonde until she switches it off. It isn't the first time Regina has admired Emma's body: her strong neck, arms, legs and hands. Regina lowers her eyes to the floor in hopes the blonde didn't notice the gaze. Emma shows no sign of it and moves to the bed.

As she pulls the covers back she double-checks, "You sure about letting me use your bed? I mean, I can sleep on the lounge. No big deal." Regina assures her that she'd prefer to sleep on the chaise lounge, "I'm positive. Have a good sleep and I'll see you in the morning." Regina pulls satin pajamas out of her dresser and enters the bathroom.

The fire was dwindled down to a handful of fingerlike flames and black logs laced with red hot spots. The recesses of the room are completely dark now. The moon and stars lend their light to the tiny flames and barely illuminate the rest of the room. It has the effect of a diffused night light. Emma is stretched out on her side with eyes open, watching the brunette return quietly from bathroom and lay down on the lounge. Regina feels the blonde’s gaze upon her like a soft warm breeze across her back.

The blonde then rolls onto her back and stares at the ceiling. She finds herself thinking not about the missing boys or the shadow thief or of Neverland or even Henry. Her mind is full of Regina. Dark, mysterious, shapely, entrancing, sexy Regina. Eyelashes thick, penetrating deep brown eyes and deliciously full lips. She drifts from imagining the feel of those lips on hers to dreaming of her own lips descending down Regina's long neck to her ever-teasing cleavage. She lets slip a small satisfied sigh. They both hear that sweet sigh and the blonde realizes she is blushing. Thankful for the dim light, Emma turns back onto her side so she can see past the brunette's shoulders, hips and legs, out the large windows to the night sky. After a few minutes her eyelids drop and she falls asleep.

Regina hears the change in Emma's breathing. It's slow, deep and regular. She turns quietly away from the window to see what she can make out of the blonde's face. Her own face completely in shadow and Emma's faintly visible, framed by long yellow blonde hair. She is fascinated by the faint light on Emma's hair and has an urge to pass her hand over it and then weave her fingers into it gently. She admires the strong square jaw line and small dimple in Emma's chin. The relaxed lips. Regina brings a finger to her own and strokes, imagining what sensations the blonde's lips might yield to her. Feeling like a voyeur she turns gently back to face the window again.

Now her thoughts wander to the women in the room at the opposite end of the hall. At first she wonders if they are asleep but then she thinks about their relationship. She knows they love each other and strongly suspects they are actually _in love_. Yet neither of them seem to be conscious of anything that runs deeper than being each other's best friend. Regina wonders what would happen if Jane or Maura were to open up to the other about that spiritual and romantic love she knows is there just hiding below the surface. She is sure Maura would be the one to acknowledge it first. _Maybe that's something I could do something about._..

Earlier in the night, Jane decided to quickly have a look at the other rooms on the second floor. The door to the first room was ajar and she peeked inside smiling at the low flames in the fireplace. That had to be the master, Regina’s, bedroom. To Jane’s dismay, the door to the next room was locked. Adjacent to it was a large bathroom with doors leading off to the left and to the right. Then she looked into a room that was obviously Henry's - the trappings of a boy transitioning into a teenager scattered neatly around his room. She stood back outside the guest room, light leaking under the door. Jane rapped on it lightly with a knuckle, "Maura? Can I come in?"

"Of course!" Maura called back over her shoulder. She had her naked back to the door and was unbuttoning the top to her pajamas so she could slip it on. She got the top on just as Jane opened the door. Jane quickly plopped onto the left side of the queen-size bed calling out "Dibs!" "Jane! Your shoes!", Maura scolded. The tall detective swung her legs over the side exclaiming "Oops!", promptly kicked off her shoes and resumed her previous position lying flat on her back. "Oh my god this bed feels so damn good!" She closed her eyes and took a full deep breath, "yesss". The sound was like the air being let out of tire.

"Aren't you going to change?" Maura asked as she walked to the opposite side of the bed. She watched her friend grimace at the thought of getting uncomfortable again, "Guess so." Jane swung her legs over the side of the bed once more and stood. She dug into her bag and pulled out a large t-shirt. Maura slipped herself into the bed, turned to Jane and asked, "Can you turn out the light?". The brunette looked back at a peaceful, eyes-closed smiling Maura, and clicked off the light as she gently shut the door. Jane shucked off her pantsuit and pulled on the T-shirt. 

Maura's smile had relaxed upon falling asleep. Jane envied the blonde's ability to visit slumber-land so fast. She never thought Maura was any less high-strung than she was but somehow Maura managed to just shut-down and relax just like that - like it was a switch she could flip on or off. _Must be all that yoga and meditation shit she does._

Before getting into bed, Jane’s curiosity got the better of her and she decided to see what Regina was up to. She silently slipped out of the guest room. The glow of the master bedroom fireplace was flickering into the hall. She paused a moment before entering. Through one of the windows she saw Emma’s bug parked out on the street in front. Then the doors opened and both Emma and Regina exited the car and began to walk up the path to the house. She tip-toed her way back to the guest room.

As quietly as Jane could she came around the bed to gently climb into her side of it. She adored the feeling of ultra-soft sheets against her legs and toes. She stared at the ceiling like it was the screen against which she replayed the events of the day. She could rarely fall asleep quickly. She was still wired and wondering about _everything_. She wanted Maura to be awake so they could talk. Just the two of them, Maura helping Jane with her anxieties by suggesting ways to look at things so they made some sense. God knows, nothing about making this trip to nowhere Maine surrounded by crazy witches made any. Minutes that felt like hours passed. She couldn’t take it any longer.

"Maura?" Jane asks in barely more than a whisper. Silence. Jane turns onto her side and props herself up with an elbow, "Maura? Are you awake?" A sleepy "Hmmm?" comes from the other side of the bed. The brunette asks again, "Are you awake?" Another "Hmmm?" and Maura's eyes open. She turns her head, "Yes, Jane. I'm awake." "I can't sleep either" Jane begins.

Meanwhile, down at the other end of the hall, Regina sits on the lounge and looks out the window. The moon is lower now and perhaps a little too bright for her liking. She considers getting her eye-mask but doesn't move to retrieve it. Instead she looks down at Emma's tall boots. Emma. When she speaks her name - even if it's just with her mind, she feels something. Right in the middle of her chest. A tiny squeeze, a small pain in her heart. And when it disappears her heart is racing. It's confusing and troublesome. Her eyes go wide with a startle when she hears a voice. "Regina?" The blonde is awake and looking at Regina's outlined back. "Are you okay?"

The brunette turns to look at Emma and begins to apologize, "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you. I was having my usual trouble falling asleep." "Why don't you sleep in your bed and I'll take the lounge? Or, if you'd prefer I can go downstairs?" Emma is out of the bed now and approaching Regina who protests, "No, no get back in bed and go back sleep. I didn't realize I woke you. I'll be quieter."

"You didn't wake me," the blonde tells her as she squats down next to Regina, "I was awake before you sat up." "Hmm. Perhaps I should make us some warm milk? It helps Henry sleep." Regina smiles with a raised eyebrow at Emma. "There is so much on my mind right now Regina. I can't shut it off." The brunette tells her "I know what you mean. But I really don't think going over everything again is going to help."

Emma reaches out a hand to place on Regina's shoulder and the brunette immediately pulls back. "Jesus Regina, you're so tense. What's going on?" Emma tries again and this time the brunette lets her start to rub her shoulder gently. "You're all tight". Regina scoffs at the comment, "Uptight seems more appropriate. But I won't discourage you from giving me a back massage if you're up to it."

The blonde kneels behind her and puts a hand on each shoulder, kneading them gently with her thumbs and fingers. She feels the tension begin to loosen and deepens the massage. Pushing down the back collar of the blue satin top so her thumbs rest at the base of Regina's neck she applies pressure. The brunette moans and drops her head forward, curving her back to give the blonde easier access.

"You know this would work a lot better if you weren't wearing the pajama top," Emma offers. Regina scoffs "Well dear I'm certainly not going to undress for you." The blonde hesitates for a split second and blushes. The brunette senses it without seeing it. After a minute she speaks again "You know... Emma... you are good at this. How did you acquire this skill?" The blonde tells her "Deep-tissue massage class, only to do it properly you should be lying down." "Not doing that either," Regina replies.

Emma presses her hands flat against the satin material covering Regina's shoulder blades and then works her way down moving her thumbs in a circular motion along the inner edges and then outward when she reaches the bottom of each blade, gently pushing the skin to the outside. Then she stops and says "Your bed is plenty big enough for the both of us. I promise to stay to my side and not hog the covers." "Well I suppose we can give it a try," Regina responds, "and thanks for the massage." 

They both climb into the bed, Emma turning on to her right side to face the door, Regina on her left side facing the window. "Goodnight," the blonde whispers. The brunette only responds with a "Hmmm." Emma is thinking about the two women down the hall "Do you think they're gay?" Regina scrunches her face, "Who my dear?" "You know, Jane and Maura," Emma turns her head to her shoulder to speak over it. Regina does likewise, "I was thinking about that earlier. They could be bisexual. I do believe they are in love with each other."

Emma turns completely around to face Regina's backside, "What makes you say that?" Now Regina turns over to face Emma, "I sense it... And they are both in the closet about it." Emma adds "Jane's got beautiful long hair but she's definitely not what I'd call feminine. Have you seen how she struts when she walks - " Regina rolls her eyes at the blonde. "You strut Ms. Swan." Emma's frowns, "I don't 'strut'." Regina smirks, "You do."

The blonde’s frown deepens "Okay, what exactly do you mean?" Regina’s smirk turns into a smile, "You and Jane walk without moving your hips from side to side. Look at the way Maura walks... and dresses. For one thing, Maura actually wears dresses. I've never seen Jane in anything but slacks or jeans - speaking of which - " "You've seen me in a dress!" Emma defends. "Yes. I have, " Regina presses a finger to her chin, "umm, maybe once? However, I think that you prefer those skinny tight jeans to everything else." "You noticed they're tight?" the blonde says as she rises up onto an elbow and rests her head in her hand. "Everyone notices Ms. Swan," Regina says as she also lifts her head and props herself up on an elbow.

The brunette continues, "How about we get back to musing about the couple down the hall?" "Okay," Emma starts, "you think Maura's a lipstick lesbian and Jane's like a butch?" Regina sighs, "Why does it have to be so black or white with you?" "But isn't that basically what you're saying?" the blonde retorts, "Jane wears the pants and Maura the dresses? I may not have a college degree but I'm sure as hell not dumb." The brunette strikes back with "Okay, brainchild, do you think Jane and Maura are in love with each other?"

Emma looks down to the top edge of the sheet and starts stroking it with her finger, "They could be. They are very comfortable with each other. I am pretty sure they love each other as much as best friends would. I'm just not positive about the romantic part." "Trust me Swan. It's simmering just below their consciousness. I think Maura actually might be aware of her love for Jane, but she fears it might put a wedge between them if she mentioned it."

"That thought makes me a little sad, " Emma rolls onto her back, puts both hands behind her head and looks up. "I mean for anyone to be in love and afraid to say so." Regina, still on her right side, looks at the blonde from head to toe. "I think it's part of the human condition. It happens a lot." "So... You think they are in love with each other?" Emma turns her head and raises an eyebrow as she asks. "Yes... Yes, I really think they are." Regina then rolls over onto her back. "I think Maura knows she is. I think Jane is clueless." "Hmmm," Emma ponders something, "maybe - perhaps we can figure out how to drop a clue?" Regina snorts, "Ha! We? Are you suggesting that we 'out' them to each other?" "Maybe" Emma closes her eyes. "Goodnight Regina." Regina smiles and drops her eyelids as well, "Goodnight Emma."

Maura asks "Why can't you sleep Jane?" "I feel like we are in a weird dream Maura." Jane places a hand behind her head and turns to face the blonde. "Like any minute I'm going to wake up and find myself alone in my own bed in my own apartment back in Boston." "So this is a dream to you?" Maura lets her eyes close again. "That's just it. I don't know. Everything feels real but impossible at the same time. Don't you feel it too?" "Maybe you're just imagining me Jane." Maura is on her back, smiling with her eyes shut, "If that's the case, just kiss me goodnight and go to sleep."

"You are being silly. And because that's something I'd imagine you saying in a dream," Jane shifts and hovers over Maura, and then lowers her head until her face is just inches above the blonde's. She closes her eyes, tilts her head slightly and lowers her lips to brush against Maura's. The lips part and Jane finds herself pressing against them. Her tongue strokes the upper lip and then she sucks the lower lip into her mouth. She releases the bottom lip sighing, "God I hope this is a dream", before kissing Maura in earnest. Maura, for her part, plays right along, letting go of sighs and an occasional moan but doesn't say a word. Her heart is racing.


	19. Saturday Morning Storybrooke

Regina wakes to find herself spooned by Emma. The blonde is lightly pressed up to the brunette's back, the front of her thighs barely brushing the back of Regina's and her right arm draped over Regina's waist. Gingerly the brunette lifts the arm and slides herself away from Emma. Regina quietly puts on her robe and slippers and heads downstairs. As she opens her bedroom door, she faintly hears the voices of her guests downstairs. Softly closing the door, she pads down the stairs and into the kitchen.

Maura happens to see Regina before Jane, "Good morning Regina. I hope you don't mind but I helped myself to your coffee." The blonde points to the full decanter adding, "It tastes great. I'll need to try your blend." Jane has turned to face the mayor now and grins, "Thanks for letting us stay here last night - and for the coffee." As Regina walks over to pour herself a cup, she asks "I take it you both slept well?"

They speak simultaneously and after the first word, stop. They try again and stop again. Then Jane decides to be quiet long enough for Maura to claim the lead. "I haven't slept that well in a while." She smiles coyly at Jane. "Um yeah. Me neither." The tall brunette gives Maura a knowing smirk.

Regina catches on that there's something left unspoken but doesn't pry. "That's good because we've got quite a day ahead of us." She begins to pull out some bowls and utensils. "How about eggs, bacon and apple pancakes?" Jane wonders aloud “Where's Emma?" to which Regina replies "Still asleep last I saw… Maybe she's not a morning pers-"

Her comment is interrupted by "Must have coffee!" spoken by Emma, in her tank top, jeans and bare feet, taking the remaining stair steps two at a time. When she sees all three of them in the kitchen look at her, she says "Wow you guys been up awhile already?" Then she makes a beeline for cupboard, finds a mug and fills it. Her nose is practically in the coffee as she inhales its scent, saying "Gooood", before taking a sip. "So, what's up?"

Regina answers her, "I'm just about to start breakfast. Care to lend me a hand?" Jane steps up and says "I'll help" before Emma can reply. Maura and Emma sit behind the island counter, drink their coffees and watch Jane and Regina go about preparing the meal. Maura turns to Emma smiling and says "I guess we've got the clean-up detail." "Works for me," the tall blonde replies before downing another mouthful of coffee, "This is good stuff." She notices that both the doctor and detective are much more relaxed than they were at lunch yesterday. Emma looks over to Regina who gives the tall blonde a not-so-subtle wink. The sheriff decides she’ll ask Regina about the meaning behind that when they have a few private minutes.

The sheriff manages to skip breakfast clean-up after all when she tells the other three that only her squad car will fit them all comfortably. She grabs her keys and is out the door before anyone can object. When Regina ventures to ask Jane and Maura if the bed was big enough for the both of them, they blush and deliberately look away from each other. The mayor grins but doesn’t persist. _Oh, I can tell that something happened between you two last night._ She continues to put away the dishes that Jane is washing and Maura is drying.

It isn’t long before Emma returns with the larger car. Jane instinctively holsters her gun as they go to leave and Regina tells her “You won’t need that.” The tall brunette turns to face her and says “I’ll take it just same Madame Mayor.” Regina goes to argue against it when Emma puts her hand on the shorter brunette’s arm and says “Stop a second. Imagine that Jane’s gun is to her as your fireballs are to you. How secure would you feel without them?” The mayor is still going to protest by saying that her fireballs will be a lot more effective in Neverland than the detective’s bullets but lets it drop at the tall blonde’s steely look. “Okay fine,” the mayor concedes. 

Regina turns to Maura and says “There’s a type of bramble called Dreamshade that’s unique to Neverland. It is deadly – we should be prepared to make an antidote for its poison should any of us – or any of the boys – get a scratch from it.” The mayor then explains that Belle gave her Gold’s recipe for the cure and that Belle has also been instructed tell anyone who asks that they are out of town helping the Boston police – well, Jane and Maura - with their investigation, “It’s a good thing Emma brought the Squad Car.” Regina continues with her instructions as if she’s holding a small-town council meeting, “We’ll take the road out of town but just before crossing the town line we will take a dirt road to an obscure part of the forest.” 

Turning to Emma she asks “You have the slippers?” Jane stifles a laugh. The sheriff responds “In a bag in the car.” Regina then turns to Maura and asks “You have your make-up compact?” The detective steps away from and turns her back to the other three to calm her funny bone. Sensing this is a good time to speak with Regina privately, Emma touches the mayor’s elbow, “Can we talk privately a minute?”

“Please excuse us,” the mayor says as Emma leads her into the study and closes the door. The blonde turns to face Regina and asks “What was that wink about earlier? Plus, you get a strange – cute, but different – look on your face –.” The brunette is looking directly into green eyes and answers, “I don’t think we need to drop any hints about our guests’ relationship. Apparently, they figured it out during the night.” Emma gasps “Really? How can you tell?” Regina smirks, “I asked about how well they slept… and, watch how they look at and touch each other now.” The blonde smiles, “Good. I’m glad. I really didn’t know how you and I were going to get them to acknowledge their true feelings for each other.” “Speaking of which,” the brunette adds, “we had better get back to them before they think we are plotting something evil behind their backs.”

Emma takes the wheel of the squad car and pulls it out of the driveway. After driving for about 45 minutes she tells her passengers “I think we’re about as remote from town as we can get without crossing the border.” She stops the car and they all exit it. Regina instructs them to “look around for a small level clearing large enough for us and about 5 boys I hope we’ll be bringing back.” They disperse – one east, one north, one west and one south. After a several minutes, Jane calls out to the others that she thinks she’s found a good spot. 

With Dorothy’s slippers in her hands, the sheriff hands them to the mayor and responds to her questioning look with “My feet are too big for these dainty things.” Regina tells the three women “Okay then,” as she takes off her own shoes and puts on the slippers from Oz, “We all need to hold hands and hopefully these gaudy yet magical shoes will take us to Neverland believing that we are just one weirdly shaped being.” Jane turns to Maura and bends to whisper in her ear, “This is getting kind of creepy...” Regina hears her but continues, “ _No one_ say anything – I’m the only one who will do any talking until we get there.”

Much to the others’ amazement, Maura appears to be taking all of this in very seriously. Jane struggles to hide her feelings about how stupid and strange she personally thinks it all is. Standing in a circle holding hands, Regina clicks her heels three times while saying “There’s no place like Neverland” repeatedly. After the last tap of the shoes, the mayor disappears. Only the mayor. “What the frack?” Jane exclaims. “Be calm,” Emma counters, inwardly smiling at the detective’s Battlestar Galactica term, “we weren’t sure we could use the slippers but it was worth a try.” Just as she finishes that statement, Regina re-appears saying “Well that was a bust. Obviously, the slippers aren’t going to work for all of us.” 

She removes them and puts her own shoes back on while the sheriff tells them, “Don’t worry. I’ve got a back-up plan.” Emma pulls a magic bean from her jacket pocket and Regina’s eyes go wide, “Where did you get that?!” The tall blonde answers with “A certain pirate was holding on to it.” The shorter brunette looks momentarily relieved and then narrows her eyes at the sheriff. She asks Emma pointedly, “Does he know you have it?” “No,” Emma glances around quickly before looking back at Regina’s dark eyes, “at least I’m pretty sure he doesn’t.” Jane places the palms of her hands over her eyes in disbelief saying “Please dear God, I am ready to wake up!” 

Maura looks at the clear glass-like giant kidney bean and inquires “So that little thing will get us all there and back again?” Emma’s smile turns into a frown, “Err… No? I only found one. I guess – “. Regina cuts her off, “One will get us to Neverland,” and she pulls out a magic bean from her own coat, “and one will bring us back.” The sheriff stares at the translucent veggie pinched between the brunette’s fingers, “Regina! Where have you… What are you doing with…?” “Easy Sheriff,” the Mayor tells her, “I was saving one in case of an emergency. It was a good thing that I did, dear, because… well, I suppose this is one. But we’ll only use this if we can’t find another way back once we are there.” As Regina re-pockets her bean, Emma glares at the mayor, about to respond with some antagonistic remark. She then thinks better of it and lets her anger at the other woman fade.

“Just how is that bean supposed to transport us?” Jane asks. “Gather next to me ladies,” Regina motions to her sides, “No need to hold hands this time,” she looks at Jane, “unless you want to.” Looking down at the ground before her, she says “After Emma tosses her bean to the ground a portal will open. It will look like – like water going down a very large drain. Jump into it as soon as you can because the portal will close quickly.” 

Emma takes a deep breath, “On the count of three then,” Maura looks to Jane and reaches for her hand. “One,” Regina takes Emma’s hand. “Two,” Jane and Maura stare at the sheriff. “Three!” She drops the bean into the clearing and calls out “To Neverland!” As soon as the swirling colors of the vortex are large enough, Emma tells Jane and Maura to jump. The detective hesitates but feels the pull from Maura. As soon as they disappear into the whirlpool of the portal, the sheriff and mayor are right behind them. 

They land on a beach in Neverland. Two angry and two confused women turn to face two unexpected arrivals.


	20. Saturday Morning, Neverland

The two angry and two utterly confused women turn to face the unexpected arrivals. "HOOK!" Emma yells as Regina shouts "HENRY!" The guilty guys flinch and step back on hearing their names. They are both momentarily speechless until Hook says "NEVERLAND?!" in disbelief. Henry runs to Regina and throws his arms around her "MOM!” He looks over to Emma, "MA!"

The brunette unlatches Henry's arms from around her and steps back, leaving a hand on his shoulder. Emma rushes over and takes one of the boy's hands in hers. Regina asks him sternly "Why are you HERE?" The Captain begins to say that it was his idea when Henry replies emphatically, "You can't leave me! You and Emma can't EVER leave me! What if you don't come back!"

The blonde's expression softens with understanding. She places her other hand on top of his, looks him right in the eyes and assures him "I will never leave you again Henry. I'm so sorry." While Regina doesn't have Emma's empathy, she certainly understands why Henry might have despaired. "I'm sorry too Henry. I thought you would be safer if we didn't let you know what we were doing."

Hook jumps in at that moment, "And exactly WHAT are you doing? I know Emma took my magic bean." He looks directly at her to add, "You can't fool a Pirate, love." Glaring back at Regina he continues, "I'm waiting." The brunette clears her throat, "I'm surprised you don't know considering you've been spying on us!"

"I have NOT been sp-" he gets out before Emma throws up her hands. "Stop it! You two can't talk to each other without arguing!" All eyes are now on the blonde waiting for her to continue.

"There have been some kidnappings in Boston and Maine and Regina and I suspect the shadow thief - or Pan, or both - we don't know for sure yet." Hook steps closer to Emma and brings a hand to her cheek, "Pan is dead. Why didn't you tell me what was happening?" Emma looks to the ground and says quietly "I thought the fewer people involved, the better it would be." He steps back and waves an arm to indicate Jane and Maura. "And what, exactly, are those two ladies doing here?"

Jane speaks up only to say, "Frankly I have no idea. This is some kind of semi-conscious dream I'm having or I've been drugged by one of you and hallucinating." Maura just nods as if to confirm what Jane has just said. The Captain shifts his dark gaze to Regina, "Well?" The Mayor takes a deep breath and replies, "They know about the kidnappings. Maura knows about a dead man without a shadow. There had to be magic involved and we're here to put a stop to the kidnappings and send the boys home." Hook turns to Emma for more. The blonde simply nods and says "Yeah. What she said."

He steps back and his voice drips with sarcasm as he asks "Just what is your brilliant plan?" Regina bursts back at him with "This is NONE of your business!" Emma puts herself between the two, "STOP! You two bickering will get us nowhere."

The Mayor mutters to herself, but intentionally loud enough to be heard by Emma “As usual the one-handed wonder is here to destroy our plans.” The tall blonde looks at her, originally going to glare back at her insult to Hook but then just tightens her lips and nods her head almost imperceptible yes.

Regina addresses the group, “We need to locate the boys as quickly as possible BUT we need to stay in hiding until we know what we’re dealing with.” She looks at Jane and states “I presume your tracking skills are impressive Detective. You and our Sheriff will be in charge of locating the boys.” Killian, who has been standing by impatiently shifting his weight from one foot to the other, jumps into the Mayor’s instructions, “I know this island better than anyone. I should lead the search.” He speaks with confidence and self-appointed leadership. Regina bites back “No-one invited you here. You are nothing more than a fly in the ointment. Emma knows this island too, Captain.” Hook looks to Emma for rebuttal. He gets none. “Fine!” he exclaims with exaggerated arrogance, “proceed with your ridiculous and doomed to fail plan.” All of the women and Henry give him disapproving looks.

Regina charges ahead with her instructions, “Hopefully we won’t run into a miraculously resurrected Pan and will only need to destroy the shadow thief. Emma and I will handle that.” The Sheriff interjects, “How could Pan possibly be alive?” to which the brunette replies, “Need I remind you that we’re dealing with magic here Ms. Swan – anything is possible. If he is here, we have to separate him from the boys after we destroy the shadow and leave Neverland as fast as we can.”

The Mayor continues to lay out the plan and when she’s completed the monologue she asks if anyone has questions. Jane tells Regina and Emma that she is convinced she’s in the most absurd dream she’s ever had and only hopes she can remember it when she wakes up. Maura can’t figure out if it’s all a hallucination or it there’s some reality mixed in. Under the circumstances she decides it will be best just to follow instructions until this – whatever it is – has run its course. Hook tells Regina that he has questions but sees no point in asking them if she is just going to invalidate whatever he says.

They begin to move inland from the beach with Emma and Jane in the lead. Hook and Henry have been following behind Maura and Regina. The Captain can’t stand being delegated to the rear guard and catches up to Regina grasping her at an elbow, as she turns to him her offense at his action is written clearly on her face.

“This is ridiculous!” he tells her, she jerks her arm from his grasp, “I know this island, I should be at the front tracking with Emma.” Regina lets out a resigned heavy sigh, “Fine. Go. I’ll stay back with Henry.” Hook’s off without hesitation. Regina stops and looks at Henry, “I’m so very sorry you are back in this horrible place Henry.” She reaches out her hand to him which he happily takes, a small smile forms on his lips. Regina and Henry have a conversation and Maura joins in as they continue a short distance behind Emma, Hook and Jane.

“Do you even know where you’re going?” Killian asks Emma. Before she has a chance to reply Jane does, “Sheriff Swan is leading us to Pan’s last campsite.” She hardly believes she’s verbalizing any of this nonsense. Jane can’t figure out how to wake up or escape this subconscious reality she’s ended up in so she is mostly playing along with Emma and Regina’s plan. The blonde adds that if no-one’s there they will search for clues as to where they might be.

Emma feels a tingle in her pocket and pulls out a make-up mirror compact. Flipping it open she looks into the small mirror at Regina’s face which is then quickly replaced with Henry’s “Hi Ma!” She responds with a “Hi kid!” and then Regina is back on the mirror. “How are we doing?” the brunette asks. Maura peers over the Mayor’s shoulder at her compact, “That is amazing! Kind of like video chat on my cell phone.” Regina adds “Yes, but without the necessity of a mobile service provider.” The Doctor edits that remark “I suppose a witch – or do you prefer magician? – like yourself, is our service provider.” The Mayor smirks, “I don’t like either.”

“I think we are close to the campsite but I can’t hear or see anything yet,” Emma answers, “maybe we should have brought Ruby.” Killian quips “You’re not serious are you Swan?” She replies “No. I’m not – though it would be good to have her sense of smell – hold on – I see the camp. Looks deserted.” Emma, Jane and Hook all stop in their tracks and wait for Regina, Henry and Maura to catch up to them. The Sheriff turns to face the group, “Okay. Stay as quiet as you can. We will circle the camp at a distance to be sure we’re not walking right into an ambush. Jane, Regina and Henry go clockwise and the rest of us will head the other way. We’ll reconnect at the top.”

They cover the area surrounding the campsite and do not find anyone or any traps. Hook breaks ranks and runs into the dirt clearing in the center. He makes it halfway when a barely concealed net springs up around him and pulls him roughly into the air. Almost as soon as the trap snaps up, they all hear a faint whizzing sound coming from surrounding trees. Emma extends her arms out to her sides while shouting “Stand back and take cover!”

Hook yells as he is simultaneously hit with four tiny darts, each aimed at the quarry from the four quadrants of the area surrounding the camp. As Killian goes to remove one of the darts he exclaims, “Bloody hell! They’ve been poison-dipped! I’d know that scent anywhere!” Emma makes her way to where Jane is and asks her to move back and check the trees on one side and indicates she’ll do the same on the other side. When they meet up again Emma calls out, “No-one is here but they may have left more than one booby trap.”

Everyone but the Captain meet at the encampment's edge. Jane, Maura and Regina each have found narrow branches about a meter long and Emma has pulled her father’s sword from its sheath on her back. She instructs them “Poke at the dirt with the tips and be prepared to jump back and drop down if something happens.” Henry turns to Regina, “Can I do that please? I want to feel useful. Mom?” He reaches out to take the stick from her. “Only if you go very slowly Henry. The moment you feel, see or hear a thing I want you to back up and put your face to the ground. Understood?” He eagerly nods yes and she relinquishes the branch.

They spread out along the perimeter, Regina standing behind Henry and watching him like a hawk. In the meantime, Hook finds and removes the remaining three darts and mutters curses under his breath. Suddenly Maura jumps back and falls to the dirt as a second net springs up in a cloud of dust. “Everyone drop!” Emma shouts out as soon as she can. Another four darts whiz past over their heads. While Henry and the women escape them – two hit Hook. He yells, “Bloody damn bloody hell! Do you think you can disarm any more traps rather than set them off?!” Killian drops out of the hole he’s cut through the net and goes to remove the last two darts from an arm and a leg. “I should have known better. Bloody bastards!”

Before they finish clearing the campsite, Maura rushes over to Hook and asks “May I have a look at the wounds?” He eyes her skeptically. “Relax. I’m a Doctor!” she assures him. “You work on corpses…” he says quietly but Maura and Emma both hear him. Emma slaps him lightly on his leather-clad shoulder, “Don’t be such a baby!” He responds with a huge grin aimed at Emma, “You called me baby.” 

Hook grunts and opens his shirt to reveal several small dark punctures, “There are a lot more than these,” he raises an eyebrow at Emma while speaking to Maura, “and in places I cannot show you.” The Doctor asks “You know how the poison works?” while lightly pressing the flesh near one of the punctures. “Each one will start to spread soon until the Dreamshade reaches my heart. Then I’ll die.” Maura looks him directly in the eyes, her expression very serious and confident, “We’ll find a way to stop it.” He immediately replies “Can’t. Not without the antidote or me staying in Neverland.” A questioning frown crosses her face, “Staying here?” He is quick to answer, “there’s a magical spring on the island that counteracts the poison, but only if I stay in Neverland. Its magic is bound to this damn place.” He turns to Emma, “I’ve got to go there now if I’m going to survive.” “Killian,” Emma begins, “we will find a way. We are not leaving without you.” Regina pipes in, “Charming. Hope springs eternal if you’re Snow’s daughter.” The Sheriff gives the Mayor an annoyed look and tells Killian “You’re very lucky that Maura has Gold’s recipe for the antidote with her.” From somewhere now behind them they barely hear “Unfortunately” in Regina’s distinctive voice. 

The Doctor tells him that they should go to this magical spring together so she can create the antidote. Jane overhears and tells Maura, “I can’t believe you are acting like we’re not in some drug or sleep induced hallucination.” The blonde responds “I can’t believe you won’t loosen up and just enjoy this fantasy-land we’re in while we can. I’m actually having some fun!” Now Jane rolls her eyes, “Okay. Okay. I’ll go with you. How far away is this mystery pond anyway?” Hook moves to be closer to Emma and bores into her with his eyes, “I may not survive.” She stares back, inches closer and slowly brings her lips to his. Regina turns on her heels. “Idiots” she mutters.

Killian buttons up his shirt and all of them stand with eyes on Regina, “Well go already!” Hook’s disappointment is obvious when Emma tells him that she’s staying with Regina and Henry. Jane, Maura and Killian head off in the direction they just came from. Looking at them retreat, Regina remarks “Great. We’ve lost our medic.” She looks to Emma and raises her arms, “Where to now fearless leader?” The blonde looks around and pictures the island in her mind, she relies more on her gut feelings than any magical sense. “This way” Emma announces and her remaining troops follow.

The poison in Killian’s blood may have be slow-moving but it is moving nonetheless. He is becoming a little weaker and a little less taciturn with each mile they put behind them. They stop by a freshwater stream so Maura can re-fill her Thermos. The Pirate had been drinking so much water that the Doctor would have suspected he had a hollow leg in addition to a hook for a hand. As if on cue Hook jests that he needs to “find a certain tree”. She uses the opportunity to dig her powder-case out of her backpack and open it. Maura is surprised when Regina’s face is instantly there. “Yes?”

“This is certainly different,” Maura begins, marveling at her means of communication, “seeing your reflection in my mirror instead of mine and talking to my makeup compact.”

“Yes, well,” Regina replies tilting her head and giving Maura a one-sided smile.

“We should be at the spring in about an hour but I’m not sure Mr. Jones will have the strength to make that last stretch he was telling me about. His heart isn’t in immediate danger but he has so many pin-pricked muscles that he’s getting weary.”

“I wouldn’t be too concerned about the Pirate keeping up with you,” Regina nonchalantly says, “his ego is his largest muscle and I don’t think he’d allow a woman to best him in any physical activity. Emma, Henry and I are approaching a cave entrance. I’ll be back in touch soon. I hope.” Maura hears the click of Regina’s case locking and pouts at hers momentarily before putting it back in her pack.

Slashing at the jungle growth in his way, Hook leads the two women towards a rocky outcrop he calls “Deadman’s Peak”. Maura asks him if there isn’t an easier way to get there than him having to slice through the ferns, bushes and other foliage. “Aye,” he says, “there is, but it will take us longer to get there, ladies, and time is of the essence.” Jane follows after him, holding back branches and brambles as Maura passes. The Doctor smiles at her and says “Thank you” and the Detective just returns a lop-sided grin. 

Killian notices the display of chivalry on Jane’s part, “It’s none of my business but you’ve got me curious. Are you ladies together?” He’s given two quizzical looks in reply. Maura then says “Of course we’re together.” He shakes his head and elaborates “Are you a couple? I can’t help seeing the way Jane is protective of you and the caring looks you give each other.” Jane steps up to Jones, “We’re best friends. That’s what best friends do. We take care of each other.” Maura looks at Hook and then at Jane with nothing but fondness, “And we love each other.” The Captain makes a small grunting sound, turns back around and begins loping off low branches before them.

“Can I check your wounds again?” the Doctor asks. They are standing at the base of a steep rise and the Captain is wheezing. Reluctantly he nods okay, removes his coat and shirt, and hands them to Jane. She exclaims “I’m surprised anything could penetrate this jacket of yours – it weighs a ton!” “I wish it was impenetrable,” Killian tells her, “unfortunately those darts were more like thin needles and completely dipped in Dreamshade sap.” Maura comments “The poison has traveled very quickly. Your back and chest are almost completely cob-webbed with infection.” Jones reprimands her “Good God is that your bedside manner Doctor? Way to give a patient hope!” The blonde looks apologetic and says “I’m sorry. I am astounded it has moved so fast. Will you be able to climb up this?” She points to the rock face. He answers her by saying “If Charming could do it, I certainly can!” 

Without the weight of his leather coat, the Pirate moves faster, finding handholds and footholds quickly on the rock. “I wish I’d brought my climbing gloves and shoes,” Maura says to no-one in particular as she follows Hook’s hand and foot placements. With her longer legs and arms, Jane not only keeps pace with the Doctor but has to pause occasionally so she doesn’t bump her head on Maura’s ass - which the Detective appreciates with each pause. Killian collapses once he’s reached the top. Weakly he pulls out his flask of rum from a hip pocket. He drinks some of it and then pours the rest onto the ground. “Quick, fill this with water from the spring!” he says handing the flask to the Doctor. “Where?” Maura asks and he points to a small waterfall obscured by bushes, including Dreamshade. Jane picks up Hook’s sword and cuts a path through the bramble. The blonde cautiously steps through to the waterfall and fills the flask.

“In all my years as a doctor and a scientist I have never seen such a fast recovery! It’s like you were never injured or infected at all!” Killian puts his shirt and coat back on as they are once again standing at the bottom of the rock. “Well, this is Neverland and entirely magical. Rules from your world don’t always apply here.” Maura tells him “It’s a good thing I brought several vials of that spring water back down with me – “Hook interrupts her “What? You mean I dumped my rum, and very fine rum at that, for no reason?” The Doctor gives him a serious look “I need samples for the antidote and research.” In the meantime, Jane has become very aware of the quickly darkening sky, “I hate to break this up guys but we are losing our sunlight – and we don’t have flashlights. Can you make torches Captain?”

After a couple hours trudging through the jungle and climbing up and down rocks, the Sheriff’s group arrives at a cave. “What is this place?” Regina questions Emma, who, without turning around, answers “It’s where the shadows dwell. Hook, Neal and I were here to capture Pan’s shadow. Pan or whoever runs this place.” “It obviously knows we are here, whether outside its hideout or anywhere in Neverland,” Regina begins. “I think some protection is in order,” she continues to say, raising her arms, closing her eyes and silently invoking a spell. “What is she doing?” Henry asks and this time Emma answers in a whisper, “She’s using magic to protect us from something.” Regina finishes her incantation and adds, “The shadow we are after can peel your shadow from you like the rind of an orange. When it does, it kills you.” Henry grimaces as he recalls too clearly what happened to Greg and Tamara. The brunette concludes, “I’ve cast a spell that seals our shadows to us. Only I can break it.” 

Emma is aware that the daylight is beginning to fade and suggests “We should go back to where we separated from Jane, Maura, and Hook. We need to be all together.” “What about the boys?” Henry asks stepping closer to Emma as Regina takes a step back, “We haven’t heard or seen any sign of them. Are they even still alive?” “Oh, believe me,” Regina replies, “they are definitely alive. They are of no use to the Shadow or Pan otherwise.” Emma continues “This whole land is a combination of belief and magic. The shadow’s magic grows more powerful with each believer. You know that better than anyone Henry. We’d better backtrack and see how Maura, Jane, and Killian are doing.”

The group walks back the way they came, marking the route even more clearly than they had before. Maura, Jane and Hook are sitting next to a small campfire when the rest of the ensemble returns. Maura stands and approaches Emma as soon as they come into view “Did you find them?” The taller blonde replies, “No. Not the boys. We found the cave the shadow creature hides in. How’s Killian?” Hook looks up to Emma, “I’ll be fine. As long as I stay in this god-forsaken land.” Maura turns and kneels by Hook, “I’ve got samples of the Dreamshade and the water from that spring. I’m sure I can make the antidote Mr. Hook- “. Killian cuts her off “Captain, it’s Captain Hook. Not Mister. Sorry didn’t mean to snap at you like that. I appreciate you trying.” Jane turns to Emma, “So what is our master plan? How do we kill this thing?”

“Uh. Well. It’s like this. Maura read that Lord Ombro was destroyed by a brilliant light that shattered him into thousands of tiny pieces. We were thinking that if we could create an equally dazzling light focused on the shadow that we could wipe it out. Regina and I will use our combined magic but whatever we can think of to boost it and direct it on the Shadow will help. It’s really the only thing we can think of to stop it.” After a moment of silence Maura speaks up, “Maybe if we had a magnifying glass, we could amplify the light.” Killian jumps in, “Ha! That’s all well and good but perhaps you should have thought of that when we were back in Storybrooke. I’ve got magnifying glasses and spyglasses aboard the Jolly Roger. Lot of bloody good they’ll do us here and now.” Maura, undeterred, continues, “maybe we can fashion something out of what we have here.” Regina turns to Dr. Isles, “Just how big of a magnifying glass do you need?” With a flourish of her hand a 12-inch lens appears in Regina’s hands. “This place still has magic in it, we may as well use some of it to our advantage.” Jane confirms her understanding “Okay, so Maura and I will hold the lens and the two of you will cast your magic through it?” Emma, Regina, and Henry all nod yes.


	21. Saturday Evening, Neverland

Daylight turns into twilight, making the campfire comparatively brighter and illuminating the six faces looking into it. Maura pulls out protein bars from her bag and begins to pass them out, “We didn’t know we’d have company so we only brought food for four – I’ll share mine with Jane.” “And I’ll share mine with Henry,” Regina adds. Emma scoots closer to Henry and Regina, “I’ll share my water with you” and she passes her bottle to her son. “Thanks Moms,” he smiles at them both, “I know you weren’t planning on me being here. Hook and I followed the Squad car and when that portal opened there was no way I couldn’t follow.” Regina runs her hand through his hair and looks into his eyes “I understand honey. I really do and I’m sorry we hurt you by being so secretive. “ Emma gazes at the two of them tenderly as the brunette continues. “You would have insisted on coming with us if we’d told you, wouldn’t you?” Henry lifts his chin, “Yeah.” The Mayor casts a glance at the blonde who replies “Hey, don’t look at me! He’s your son too!” All three of them chuckle at that. Hook stares at Emma for a minute before turning away and tossing another branch on the fire. She doesn’t notice.

On the other side of the campfire another conversation is taking place. Jane has her arm around Maura and they are gazing into the flames as they speak. The tall brunette is saying “It’s so quiet here. I can’t hear anything except the fire crackling. No sounds from birds or animals.” The blonde agrees “It is rather eerie. One would expect the forest to be full of sounds – perhaps it’s just not late enough in the night for them to be up and around.” She rests her head on Jane’s shoulder who asks her “Are you warm enough?” Maura answers “Yes I am,” she looks up affectionately and adds “especially with your arm around me.” Jane is tempted to kiss her right then but doesn’t want to draw the attention of the others. Instead she pulls her girlfriend in closer to her and gives a squeeze.

As the moon rises in the star-riddled sky, Killian clears his throat and announces, “If you all don’t mind I’m going to take a walk.” He takes the group’s silence as consent and disappears into the blackness between the trees. Henry lies on his back, hands behind his head, knees bent and looking straight up at the stars, “These constellations aren’t anything like back at home. For one thing you can actually tell what they’re supposed to be.” He stretches out an arm and points “See that one there?” Regina answers him, “Wait a second. We need to see the sky from your angle.” She lies down and nudges closer to him so she can see where he’s pointing. Without a word, Emma snuggles up to Regina and tilts her head back, “You mean that one that looks like a horse with wings” He smiles, “Yeah! A Pegasus! ” His other mother comments, “It has so many stars in it, it would be hard to mistake it for anything else.” Regina turns to look at Emma’s upturned gaze and smiles. The blonde catches it out of the corner of her eye. She scoots up a little and invites Regina to rest her head in the crook of her arm.

Emma notices that Jane and Maura appear to be sleeping curled up into each other. Henry is snoring faintly and Hook is still on his walkabout. Regina’s eyes are closed, her breath is even and she has the slightest trace of a smile lingering on her lips. The blonde is studying the brunette’s face and the fall of her dark hair across her arm. The way Regina’s eyebrows are so perfectly shaped. Long lashes rest on flawless cheeks. Emma’s eyes follow the brunette’s nose down to full lips where they stop to examine the scar on the upper one and admire the pair of them, dark, luscious, inviting. The blonde suddenly realizes that she wants to kiss Regina and it frightens her. Her heart is beating faster. Her throat has gotten drier and her palms sweatier. _Oh god. This can’t be happening! Can it?_ She tries to inconspicuously remove her arm from under Regina’s head. And she fails. The brunette’s eyes open wide and turn to her. Emma blushes fully “I’m sorry. I’ve, um… I need to – you know – find a bush or something? I’ll be back in a few.” Regina sits up, “I’ll go with you.” The blonde is flustered, “It’s private!” Regina retorts, “Of course it is! I won’t be THAT close to you!” Henry grunts and they both turn to stare at him for a moment. He begins to snore again. “Okay,” Emma relents.

Both women are about a hundred yards from the campsite when the blonde asks Regina to stay put. Emma moves a bit further to find what she thinks is a private place to take care of business. After several minutes, she asks “You wouldn’t happen to have some tissue, would you?” The brunette uses magic to create several sheets and blindly extends her arm in the direction of Emma’s voice. Soon the blonde re-appears from behind the bushes. The moon is full and high in the sky now and they can see each other’s faces in the bluish glow. “Thanks,” Emma says. 

Regina steps up to Emma, waiting for the blonde to face her, “You are unusually quiet and seem a bit out of sorts tonight. Are you okay?” Emma looks into the brunette’s eyes. They are dark but have a moonlight gleam. She sighs, “Yeah. I’m fine.” Regina shakes her head slightly, “Ms. Swan – “. The blonde becomes irritated and cuts her off, “Really? Are you trying to aggravate me? Because, if so, you’ve certainly succeeded!” The brunette grasps Emma’s upper arm and tells her sternly, “If you’re going to lie to me, I will call you Ms. Swan. You’re not the only one who can tell when someone’s hiding the truth.”

Emma tries to shake off Regina’s hold but it’s too firm. “Okay, I’m not fine. Would you mind releasing my arm now?” Regina lets go of her and they begin to head back to the camp. The brunette breaks their silence by saying “You can talk to me you know.” A minute passes. “No, I can’t,” the blonde finally answers, still moving forward with her back to Regina. The brunette catches up to her and places her hand on Emma’s shoulder this time, trying to coax her to turn around, “Yes. Yes you can. I’m not going to throw a fireball at you or disappear in a cloud of smoke. Please tell me what happened.” 

Emma stops in her tracks but doesn’t turn to face the brunette. “I’m afraid,” she admits. Regina attempts to make light of it, “You? Fear? Please. Since when did a Charming not charge headlong into danger?” The blonde sighs at Regina’s response and turns to look at her. “You just don’t get it, do you?” The brunette sees exasperation in Emma’s eyes, “Okay. I’m sorry. Sometimes I just can’t help the sarcasm.” The blonde’s posture relaxes a smidgen, the green gaze softens. She takes a deep breath and shifts her gaze from the brunette’s eyes to the ground at their feet, “I’m afraid of how you’ll react if I confess what I’m feeling to you.” Regina draws her eyebrows together, “Confess what? Exactly?” Emma continues to study the dirt, her heart is aching, “I can’t Regina. I… I just can’t tell you.” The brunette closes her eyes and shakes her head, “Okay. Okay fine. Keep your secret.” She raises her hands in surrender. A moment later she adds, “You CAN trust me, you know.” 

Emma turns to continue along her path, and murmurs, “It’s not that I don’t trust you Regina. I’m just afraid of what the truth might be.” The blonde moves forward, Regina silently following once again. The brunette tries to think about what could possibly have changed Emma’s demeanor so quickly and so much. She seemed fine until she needed to relieve herself. The three of them had been staring at the stars. Henry fell asleep. Regina rested on Emma’s arm with her eyes closed. The brunette sensed that Emma was looking at her. It was as if a feather were brushing tenderly across her face and lips. 

Regina suddenly stops walking. Emma continues on for several steps until she realizes the brunette isn’t right behind her. She calls out softly “Regina? Regina, are you alright?” The brunette swallows; her throat tight, “I’ll be right there.” Once she catches up to the blonde she says, “I was just thinking,” but she doesn’t elaborate. She thinks she is imagining things. It doesn’t make sense that Emma would be anything more than a friend. Did she herself want anything more than friendship from the blonde? Regina decides such thoughts can wait until after “Operation Python”, as Henry decided to call it, is over. That is if she even thinks about it at all then.

The two of them fall into step with each other. Both silent, lost in their emotions and musings. Emma tries hard not to feel the inexplicable heat when the brunette is in close proximity. It is bittersweet, like an unquenchable thirst for a delicious drink that can’t be satisfied. In addition there is something like a small electric charge whenever they make physical contact. It is not unpleasant at all. She wants more. Regina finds she is constantly shifting from her curiosity about Emma’s secret to what their little group of misfits will do to get the lost boys safely home. The blonde’s hand accidentally brushes against Regina’s. The brunette doesn’t see it but Emma’s face blushes in embarrassment at her deliberate move. _It’s almost like stealing a kiss._

Soon they are back at the camp. The fire is only embers. There is a thin line of light on the horizon. They see that Jane and Maura are still wrapped up and sleeping in each other’s arms. “Oh my god!” Regina yells. Both Hook _and_ Henry are missing. Emma and the brunette call out loudly for Henry. The shouts startle Jane and Maura wide awake. The four women spread out in all directions from the camp. Killian reappears. He’s winded from running to Emma when he heard her calling out for Henry. She asks him where he’s been and he simply says that he needed to be alone for a bit. Then she explains that while Maura and Jane were sound asleep, and she and Regina were away from the camp, Henry disappeared. He joins Emma in the search that is increasing in radius from the center of the site with each pass. All thoughts about relationships are put aside as they concentrate on locating Henry. They hope that the boy has just wandered off. They fear they are wrong. 


	22. Sunday Morning, Neverland

Finding no sign of Henry, the adults loosely re-group. In frustration Regina lashes out at Hook, “Where the hell had you been?!” He immediately glares at her and strikes back “It’s none of your bloody business! Where were you?!” The short brunette takes his glare and magnifies back at him “I would NEVER do anything to harm Henry!?” The pirate can’t resist a counterstrike “Maybe but I know what YOU are capable of!” The Mayor has a fireball in hand when Emma comes between them and puts her hand firmly around Regina’s raised forearm, “Enough already! Stop! Let’s just focus on finding Henry!” Maura and Jane had been staring at Regina’s fireball in wonder until she turned her palm down extinguishing it. “Remind me to never get a witch angry at me.” Jane whispers to Maura.

The Detective steps over to Emma, “Kidnapped?” The Sheriff tilts her head, “Yeah… And if that’s the case, I think he can only be at one of three places: with the other boys, at Skull Rock, or in Echo Cave.” Regina, Killian and Maura move closer to them. The Doctor queries “Skull Rock?” The Mayor joins in with “What is Echo Cave?” Emma glances over to Killian. 

He clears his throat and addresses them, “Echo Cave is a prison. You can only rescue someone from inside it by revealing a secret. Your most dreaded secret. Echo Cave gets its name from an old saying that goes: ‘The deeper the lie, the more truth in its echo.’ You must reveal a truth about yourself – one you would never admit to anyone.” Regina narrows her eyes and furrows her brow. Hook directs his next statement at her, “If you hadn’t been off wandering around with The Dark One when we were here last, you would know.” 

Jane looks up and then to Maura “This just keeps getting better. Echo Cave, Skull Rock and The Dark One? Maybe we are trapped in a fairy tale that’s gone sideways.” The Sheriff takes back the reins, “Hold on. Jane, Maura. I know this is all impossible to believe but I’m asking, until we all – and I’m including the kidnapped boys in this – are safely back in Storybrooke – just go along with us. Try to believe in this for, I hope, will not be more than another day.” Jane rolls her eyes and Maura narrows her eyes at Jane. They nod their consent. 

Emma continues, “Skull Rock is where Pan took Henry last time, you can only reach it by boat.” The Detective replies, “Sounds like that’s where we should go.” Regina intercedes, “Not so fast Detective, we aren’t so sure this Shadow Thief is actually Peter Pan, and, secondly, the motivation in kidnapping Henry last time was different.” Emma catches their attention by saying “I think he’s in Echo Cave.” Killian shakes his head slowly and Regina tilts her head back and quietly says “Oh god.”

“Just listen to me for a minute,” the Sheriff begins, “if Henry found the boys, he’d be trying to bring them to us somehow. If the Shadow wanted to stop him, what better place than Echo Cave?” “But he could’ve trapped him on Skull Rock, instead right?” Maura asks. Jane replies to her, “I’m guessing it’s probably easier to retrieve him from the rock than the cave.” Emma confirms. Regina throws up her arms in surrender, “Okay! Echo Cave it is!”

The Captain leads the trek to the cave’s entrance and declares “I’ll go in alone and see if he’s there.” Regina immediately steps up to him and states “Not so fast Pirate! I don’t trust you.” Emma knows where this argument is headed so she quickly moves towards the entrance and informs them both “I’m going in.” The only light in the cave comes from it’s opening. But the light is bright enough to expose the precipice only a few feet from the entrance and a dark chasm between the narrow ledge and a small island of rock with a stick cage atop it. As soon as the tall blonde is inside, she hears “Ma!” coming from it. “Henry! We’re here!” Regina rushes in and Emma grabs her to keep her from running right off the edge. “Mom!” he calls out in fear and relief. “Oh Henry!” the Mayor responds, “Don’t worry. We’ll get you.” By now the entire group is standing on the cave’s ledge. Maura has instinctively reached for and holds Jane’s hand close to her.

Killian speaks up “I’ll go first.” He looks at Regina and then to Emma. “You wondered where I went last night. I needed some time alone to do some soul-searching and decide what I want to do with my life. The last time we were in this cave I confessed to you Emma that since Milah died I didn’t know if I would be able to love again. But then you came into my life.” The blonde just looks back at him (she’s heard this part before) and Regina does an eyeroll saying “Get on with it already!” He clears his throat, “Well after last night… I decided I would do this but I didn’t think I’d be doing it here and now.” He drops to one knee, “I don’t have a ring but there’s one in my heart and I want to give it too you.” Emma looks surprised and her eyes lock onto his. He continues “I have thought long and hard over this, and, Emma, there is no-one I would rather be with for the rest of my life, than you. Emma Swan, will you marry me?”

The blonde Sheriff gasps in surprise, “You’re proposing to me? Now? Here?” Regina points to the ledge, “Look. Nothing happened. Is that all you’ve got Pirate? That’s your dreaded secret?” Emma turns to her “Is that public knowledge or what? I didn’t know.” Hook stands again, her answer to his marriage proposal left hanging somewhere. The brunette answers, “How could you not? It’s written all over him.” Killian bares his teeth to Regina and growls “I wish you were dead.” Nothing happens. She retorts “I wish you were dead. In fact, I should have seen to it decades ago!” Still nothing happens. These supposedly dark secrets aren’t secrets at all. Emma moves to stand between them. “Stop this! It’s not getting us anywhere and we’re just wasting time! I’ll confess.” 

All eyes are on the tall blonde. Her eyes are looking into the darkness between the ledge and the cage. “I…”, Emma takes a deep breath and slowly exhales it, “After Neal abandoned me, I didn’t ever think I could care about anyone again. I deliberately built what I thought was an impenetrable wall around my heart – my feelings, determined that no-one would ever hurt me like that again. And then Henry knocked on my door.” She raises her eyes to look at the cage he’s in. They can’t see each other’s faces but they know they are staring at each other. “I couldn’t help falling in love with Henry. It happened so quickly, as if there were no walls between our hearts at all.”

Emma turns to face Regina, “And you, the moment you opened your door. You rushed to Henry and I could feel the powerful love you have for him. I was confused. I didn’t grow up with anyone who loved me anything like your love for Henry. I was happy for him and sad for me.” She takes a step closer to the brunette whose eyes are wide in anticipation. “You were beautiful. I hadn’t really seen a woman as beautiful and with such poise.” She smiles at Regina, “You were thankful at first because I’d brought Henry home, and, so quickly you became threatening. I was shocked by the speed of it. It’s only because of your verbal threat to me that I actually stayed in Storybrooke. I was fully prepared to turn around and head back to Boston that night. But you, Regina, you persuaded me to stay. Ever since that day we have become closer. Yeah, we fought a lot at first. I kind of enjoyed our fights. You’d get so riled up, full of passion and I loved it. It made me want to provoke you to anger at times. Funny thing is, I think you liked it too.” Killian clears his throat to speak, “Can you please get on with it? You’re the one who said we’re wasting time.”

The blonde heaves a sigh, “Okay. What it comes down to is this. Over the years I’ve come to love you – as a friend, as my best friend. But more than that, I believe I’m in love with you.” She looks down to the ground “In fact, I really wanted to kiss you last night.” The ground rumbles and a large stretch of rock sprouts from the ledge towards the cage. “Oh, this is rich!” Killian exclaims and he stomps out of the cave. Regina turns to watch him. “Good riddance!” she says. She steps up to Emma and takes her chin in hand to turn the blonde’s face to her. Golden chocolate eyes look into Emma’s gray-green ones as Regina tells her, “I love you too.” One step more and she is close enough to kiss. Emma takes that step.

The Mayor and Sheriff don’t seem to notice that the earth has quite literally shaken beneath them as the bridge of rock extends further towards Henry. After what seems like eternity but altogether too short a time, they break the kiss and look toward the rock bridge. Regina turns to Jane and Maura, “it looks like we need at least one more deep secret to reach the cage. If the two of you would rather be alone for this part, the Sheriff and I can wait for you outside.” Maura speaks up, checking visually for consent on Jane’s face, “It’s alright. You can stay.” Jane adds, “Plus it’s not like we’re ever going to see each other after this – whatever this is.” The shorter blonde turns to the tall brunette and reaches for her other hand to take into hers, so that they are now standing face to face holding hands and looking at each other.

“Jane,” Maura begins, “we’ve been best friends for so long I can hardly remember a time when we weren’t. You already know I love you, and if you can’t already tell from our kisses that I’m in love with you, then I am telling you so now. The secret I’ve kept from you, however, is this: I was relieved when you decided not to pursue getting back together with Casey. I was happy when you finally let him go. Then I had fantasies about you and I raising your child together. I can’t imagine my life without you in it. Intimately. I want you to live with me – wherever that may be – Boston, or Virginia, maybe even Paris?” The ground grumbles again and the bridge from the ledge is complete. Jane looks back at Maura open-mouthed. Before she can get a word out, Regina interrupts.

“The bridge is complete!” the Mayor carefully rushes across the stone pathway to Henry’s cage, “Henry!” She frantically pulls on the cage door to open it. To no avail. Emma calls to her, the path too narrow join Regina and Henry safely, “There’s another truth to expose, in order to open the cage.” Jane quickly tells her, “It’s my turn now, right?” However, Emma rebuts, “No, Detective, I don’t think it works that way. I think Henry has to reveal a secret to us.” Regina looks at Henry, his eyes are very wide. “I have to confess something I don’t want to?” he questions, hoping he’s wrong. His mom assures him, “It’s okay honey. Whatever you say, I promise not to be angry. You can tell me anything. I’ll just listen. I love you Henry. So very much.” His blonde mother calls to him, “It’s alright. You don’t need to worry about anything. Think of this as your ‘Get Out of Jail Free’ card!” He gives her a small chuckle. Looking at Regina he says “I don’t suppose telling you I accidentally broke one of your crystal champagne glasses will qualify.” He sighs when that admission doesn’t work. 

Regina extends her hand to him through the bamboo bars. He gladly accepts softly saying, “I love you Mom.” She gives him a small smile. Henry looks away from her, “I, uh, I never really liked Hook. You know, it was like he only wanted to be friends with me so he could get on Ma’s good side. But I thought he made her happy so I pretended to be happy too. The truth is I don’t want Ma to marry Killian. Now that she’s in love with you Mom I guess that won’t happen. Kind of too late to be a confession?” Regina gives his hand a gentle squeeze when he looks back at her.

Henry continues, “I hoped, that you and Emma would live together as my parents and that maybe you’d even adopt a little sister for me.” He unintentionally knocks the cage door with the back of his other hand while reaching up to scratch the back of his head. It falls open. He and Regina hug each other awkwardly on the rock outcropping before cautiously crawling back to the cave ledge. Emma hurries over to them to help them stand and wraps her arms around both. “Oh Henry” she sighs, “I had no idea.” She tousles his mop of hair and puts her forehead against his. “Make me a promise kid,” he nods a small yes, “don’t ever pretend to like something you don’t.” Regina can’t resist an addendum, “But please be tactful when you tell us.”

Maura is literally in tears over the confessions of love and the tenderness she’s witnessing. Jane holds her close and brushes her lips against Maura’s hair, “I love you too,” she whispers. When the five of them exit the cave, Killian is out of sight. “I’m going to try to find him,” Emma informs them, “he needs to stay with us, as much as it pains me to say that.” Jane still has an arm around Maura as the Doctor tells them, “I’m positive I can create the antidote to this island’s dreamshade poision. The plant is very much like our own Atropa belladonna, which we commonly call ‘deadly nightshade’ of the family Solanaceae. I can modify the physostigmine antidote for nightshade, which is basically what your Mr. Gold did, to counteract it.” By the time Maura has finished the sentence, Emma has already taken off in search of Hook, Regina and Henry have found comfortable spots to sit close to each other, and Maura has turned her head to look at Jane, who is just looking at her with a half-smile.


	23. Sunday Afternoon, Neverland

Emma catches a glimpse of Hook as he storms off towards the beach. She follows calling “Killian! Killian! Please wait!” As he steps on the sand, stops, turns to her and growls, “I have BEEN bloody waiting! Why didn’t you tell me earlier?” She’s close enough to him now that he wraps his hand around her upper arm, “Are you keeping any other secrets from me?” Emma pulls her arm from his grasp. “You don’t need to know everything I do. I promised I’d be honest with you, so, yeah. I have secrets and they are mine to keep.” “Emma!” he groans. 

She cautiously approaches him again and softly says “I never meant for this to happen.” Hook throws his head back and then looks forward again, “Just as I never meant to fall in love with you. Damn it, Emma. I was falling for you the moment I met you. Why didn’t you stop me?!” She looks down finding it too difficult to maintain the intense eye contact, “I didn’t know then.”

“Bloody Hell Emma! I love you! How can you possibly love her? What can she give you that I can’t?”

She feels it’s cowardly to look at his boots rather than his face and into his eyes. She sees pleading there. Desperation. Anticipation. And the slightest glimmer of hope. “It’s not about what she gives me that you can’t. I don’t know why my heart chose her. I have felt some kind of – I don’t know – odd connection to her from the moment she opened her door. I, uh, don’t know how to explain it.”

“Does Regina even love you? I love you Emma. I love you with all of me.” Hook’s face softens. His vulnerability shows in his eyes. Emma feels her heart tugging towards him. It’s not passion. It’s compassion. She hopes in response to his question but doesn’t answer it. Instead she offers “I love you too Killian but - “. He interrupts her saying “- it’s not the kind of love I want from you, is it? You aren’t in love with me. Got it.” 

The hurt transforms to anger and he turns away from her, “Just leave me the bloody hell alone! I don’t want your pity Emma. I can’t even handle looking at you right now. I feel like I’ve been thrown overboard. Go!” He turns to look at the water and speaks through gritted teeth, “Go back to your girlfriend. I don’t want you near me.” “Killian, please” she pleads to his back. He attempts to ignore her, “Are you bloody deaf? I said GO!” “We’re not done here,” she softly says and sees him shake his head slightly in a “no” gesture, his gaze focused somewhere on the horizon. He hears her turn around in the sand and walk away.

Jane drags her lips across Maura’s as she slowly pulls away, “Damn Maura. Kissing you is like the Sox hitting a grand slam!” Maura’s smile broadens, “I take it that doesn’t happen too often?” Jane pulls her brows together and her dimples deepen along with her grin, “Uh… Not as much as I’d like. No. Wait. Your kiss is better than that.” The Doctor blushes, “Well, I can say -without hesitation- that your kiss is at least as euphoric as proving a theory that has taken years for me to formulate, test, modify, re-test and finally succeed.” Jane closes one eye and raises the brow of the other as she deadpans, “Really. Wow.” Maura playfully slaps Janes upper arm, “Let me try this in Jane-speak. Your kiss is the BEST!”

Henry turns to his Mom, “Can you believe those two? Promise me you won’t go all mushy on Emma like that when I’m within earshot, okay?” Regina places her hand on his cheek, “I’ll do my best not to.”

The Detective pulls Maura closer to her, “I hope Emma finds Killian soon. Those kidnapped boys are probably scared shitless.” The blonde looks up to see the concern filling Jane’s eyes, “I’m sure the Sheriff found the Pirate. I don’t want to even think about what they are saying to each other right now.” Jane kisses the top of Maura’s head, “Lucky for us, we don’t have to.” 

The brunette turns so she can look her Doctor in the eyes, “Can this all be really just a dream of mine? I mean, parts of it suck -big time- but being with you? Us, together. That’s the part I want to be real.” Maura sees the hope in Jane’s entire expression, “Everything feels real. That’s what happens in deep dreams. I read an article in Scientific American several years ago that concluded while what we experience in our dreams might not be reality, our feelings about those experiences are very real indeed. I suppose it is possible to wake from a dream, and, while we may not recall what happened, we will recall how we felt during it.” Then the blonde elaborates, “the most vivid, absurd and emotional dreams, ones that we often remember, are actually connected to the amygdala and hippocampus. The amygdala-.” She’s interrupted by Jane who lifts Maura’s chin to give her a beseechingly look, “Mau-ra. Pul-leeze. You know that once you start talking oblahgata-whatever I stop understanding you.”

A couple moments of silence ensue before Jane heaves a sigh, “What if I recall my love for you and because I brought a version of you into this dream, and the real you – back in Boston or wherever the hell you are – is unaware. I don’t know what I’d do.” Maura reaches out and puts a hand on one of Jane’s, “I am in the same situation. I might be dreaming as well, and, when I wake, I may meet a Jane Rizzoli I’ve never kissed.” “Damn! I hope not!” the Detective remarks, “So this dream of us together may be a waking nightmare.” “Hush,” the Doctor strokes the back of Jane’s hand and gazes lovingly into her eyes, “Let’s not worry about waking up right now. I want to enjoy being in love with you for as long as possible.” Jane gives her a goofy grin, “Me too.” She leans in and they begin to kiss again.

“Ewww,” Henry says while twisting up his face in disgust, “they’re at it again.” Regina laughs at him, “One day, young man. One day you’ll kiss someone who will make the rest of the world disappear.” She puts on a serious face, “But not anytime soon.” Her son smirks back at her, “Yeah right. As if.” The Mayor wraps an arm around his shoulders, remembering that he’s a teenager already and the time he will meet someone else that he’ll care deeply about is approaching all too fast. She changes the subject by lifting her head and turning it in the direction Emma had disappeared in, “I hope they return soon. I don’t want to be sitting here all day.” “Me too,” Henry replies as he follows his mother’s gaze. After a few seconds, Regina turns her face back to his, mumbling “Stupid pirate” under her breath.

Henry asks her, “So, um… What’s going to happen when they get back?” She tightens her lips and releases them, “I suppose we will look for the boys. I’m not planning on demanding to be in charge on this. It’s all come about from Emma’s worry. I think I’ll just follow her lead, and” she smiles sweetly at her son, “be glad you’re here with me. Can you imagine if you weren’t?! I’d be stuck with the lady lovebirds over there, Captain Guy-Liner, and a distraught Sheriff.” Henry smiles back at her “I’m glad I’m here too.” After a minute Regina asks “Do you have any idea where the boys might be?” He frowns and appears to be thinking hard, “When I was with them before, we kept moving from our camp to confuse you guys – but Pan was with us then. Plus, the Lost Boys had been with Pan for a long time before I arrived. These boys are new. I need to think about it for a bit.” She gives Henry’s shoulder a squeeze before releasing it and holding her hands together. 

While Henry is thinking about where the boys might be, Regina is thinking about Emma. Just Emma, not Emma and Hook. Specifically, she is thinking about the moment they shared in Echo Cave when they kissed. Regina can hear her own voice telling Emma “I love you too.” Her heart swells at that memory. Now she’s trying to figure out what to do going forward, once they are back in Storybrooke. Are they going to pretend nothing happened? She doubts Henry would allow that. She doesn’t want to act as if they are no more than friends. The Hooked Wonder will probably make sure everyone in town knows about what happened – unless he’ll be too proud to admit that he lost the Savior Princess to the Evil Queen. She guffaws quietly. His ego might just keep him silent about that. She hopes he’ll just say that he loves the sea too much and then sail off into the sun… and burn! Regina catches herself. _I can still have evil thoughts, right?_

Henry interrupts her imaginings, “I think he must have them in some kind of prison.” Regina looks up at him, “Hmm?” “I said, I think he’s imprisoned them.” Her son explains, “the Shadow thing must want to keep them all together until a leader of the group emerges. Then maybe it will do to that boy what it did to Gold’s father and enchant him.” He continues, “in the meantime he’d want to be sure they don’t all wander off in all different directions.” Looking at his Mom, he asks “What do you think?” Smiling back, she tells him “It’s the best idea I’ve heard of yet.”

By the time Emma makes it back to the camp the tears in her eyes have dried. Regina notices her immediately but doesn’t move from the tree trunk she’s sitting on. She wants to give Emma some space to sort through her feelings and hopes that Emma will still choose her. Henry sees Emma and runs to her calling “Ma! Are you okay?” When he reaches her, he looks into her eyes and wraps his arms around her waist. She looks down at him with a grimaced tight smile and places a hand gently to the back of his head. “I’ll be okay Henry.” She closes her eyes, bends her head down to kiss his crown, turns her cheek to rest her head there and puts her arms around him. 

When Emma opens her eyes, they are captured by Regina’s. She sees concern there. Mostly concern but a question is there as well. She’s not ready to discuss what happened with Regina yet. She closes her eyes again as she lifts her head and tousles Henry’s unkempt hair as she releases him from her embrace. She smiles at her son and asks “So what’s the plan kiddo?” All eyes are on Henry and Emma as they approach but Jane speaks first “We need to find the children.”

Emma and Henry are still standing, her energy is high and she can’t even handle the thought of sitting down. She takes charge by responding, “Jane. Can you and Henry search for the boys?” She shifts her eyes to Maura, “Can you go to Hook and work with him on the antidote? He’s on the beach.” Finally, her eyes turn to Regina. Her heart suddenly squeezes and Regina sees the moment of pain. “Regina. Let’s find the Shadow.” Emma has to turn away from Regina and instead watches as Jane stands and begins to speak with Henry. The moment is interrupted when a black outline of a man steps out from the brush, “No need to find me Maura. I’ll go with Jane and Henry to find the boys.” He deliberately avoids looking anywhere near Emma or Regina. “I won’t need the antidote until we’re getting ready to leave this god-forsaken place.”

Regina pulls out her compact and hands it to Henry, “As we’re splitting into two groups, you need this.” He hugs her and then rushes to Emma. As he releases her, he assures her, “I’ll see you soon. Love you Ma”. She replies “Love you too” and then he’s off to rejoin Jane and Killian. Emma meets Hook’s eyes briefly before he turns and heads out with Jane and Henry. 

After he steps up to them, he explains that he thinks the Shadow is keeping the boys trapped somewhere. Hook nods thoughtfully and Jane looks back at Henry, “Well, okay then. What direction do we need to head in?” The Pirate turns to them saying, “I know this island, the terrain and the waters around it. Give me a minute to think on it.” He closes his eyes.

Jane and Henry stand there, doing nothing for a minute and then they both start shifting their weight from foot to foot. The boy kicks at the dirt aimlessly and is startled when Hook says “I’ve got it!” Jane responds “Got what?” The Pirate looks at her from under his eyelashes, “I think I know where they are. Follow Me.”

The Pirate is quietly sulking for the most part, but he does clear the path of vegetation when needed, and, he offers suggestions on maneuvering through the jungle-forest, now and then. And he takes a sip from his flask of rum, now and then. While she’d been walking with Henry, Jane had been able to set aside her disbelief surrounding this whole bizarre situation she was in. Instead she imagines she is exploring in what could be any forest in New England, using her skills as a detective to help locate a group of kidnapped children, with the assistance of a delightful young man – well yeah, he was still a kid. That last part being the biggest stretch. In real life, she sometimes teamed up with a child, but always to protect him, not to follow him.

After walking for what feels like all day, but in truth has only been a couple hours, Jane suggests that they stop for a few minutes, check in with the rest of the party and come up with a specific course of action to take - should they actually encounter the kidnapped boys. The Detective’s illusion of reality breaks when Henry pulls the makeup compact from his pocket and flips it open. Regina’s face immediately appears on the mirror as if a photograph in a locket, at least until it speaks, “Henry sweetheart, can I speak with Detective Rizzoli?” 

Jane feels stupid talking to mirror. “Can you see me?” The reply was quick, “Of course I can see you, and hear you.” Jane turns the compact so only her face is in the small circle, “Should we expect this camp to be booby-trapped like the other one was?” Regina replies “Yes, I think that’s a good assumption. Do you know what you’re going to do once you find them?” Jane speaks slowly, “If the boys are there we need to determine if the Shadow is with them. If it’s not there, then we need figure out how to persuade the boys to join us. Hopefully the guy in pirate-drag won’t scare them off.” Hook reminds Jane he can hear her. “That sounds good, let me know if the Shadow is there so Emma and I can head-over your way. We are still in route to the shadow-cave – whatever it is.” With that comment, Regina flicks her compact case shut. Thinking that was a bit rude, Jane does likewise and puts the case back in her pocket. “Okay, Detective Mills, ready to move out?” Henry beams at the title and shakes his head to the affirmative.

A half-hour later they hear very faint voices, definitely human sounds, although they are not close enough to discern words. The three of them approach the camp stealthily, careful not to step on branches or make any sounds. The encampment they find is below a rock face drop-off of about 20 feet. The forest abruptly ends at the ledge, and, beneath it, a scattering of bushes becomes patches of low grass in the sand. It’s like a little finger peninsula, not more than 100 feet from the base of the cliff to the water. The small strip of land is cut-off from the forest by the short cliff. The beach is still, water lapping gently on the far side. 

The shrubbery along the top provides cover for Killian, Jane and Henry, as they check the ledge for traps and a way down. Nearly all the boys are huddled around an unlit campfire pit, with a couple wandering around in a space about the size of a football field. Jane mentally counts the number of boys and compares it to the number she knows were kidnapped. Yes, they are all there - plus three. They can’t see any sign of a Shadow being but they can’t be certain it’s not there either.

After retreating to well out of earshot, Jane opens the mirror case once again. This time Emma’s face appears. “Hi Sheriff,” Jane speaks first, “Good news. We found the boys. They don’t know we’re here. It looks like that the Shadow-thing isn’t here.” Emma smiles back, “That’s great news. Regina and I are approaching the cave of shadows. Will let you know as soon as we can if we are successful or not. If you are the praying kind, might want to do that about now.” Although Jane isn’t really the praying kind, she replies, “Will do.” Killian moves in closer to speak to Emma just as she closes the lid on the compact. 

Henry overheard the entire conversation and asks her “What now?” Hook is angry at not being able to get in a chat with Emma. He tells Jane and Henry, “Look for something we can fashion a rope out of” as he stomps off away from them.


End file.
